Innovation. Animation. Mindtripsation.

I have been doing some surfing and perusing of talent and all that is interesting - and must share with you what I am calling in this posting:  Innovation.  Animation.  Mindtripsation.

Take a look and you'll know why.

Innovation

This is the world’s smallest stop-motion animation starring 9mm girl, “Dot.”

The video, from Aardman Animations in Bristol, broke the Guinness World Record for the smallest stop-animation character in a film.  It was created by Sumo Science from directors, Will Studd and Ed Patterson with a microscopic camera device originally developed for medical scoping.  The video is an incredible way of showcasing this new technology in a creative application.

Animation

This short movie, titled "BOB" is Animation.  Be sure to catch the punch line after the credits.

This animation, from directors Jacob Frey and Harry Fast from Germany's Filmakademie Baden-württemberg, took six months to create and has won awards from film festivals around the world. 

Mindtripsation

This next video is such a trip, that I had to make up a word to introduce it. 

 

This animation, from directors Jacob Frey and Harry Fast from Germany's Filmakademie Baden-württemberg, took six months to create and has won awards from film festivals around the world. 

 

Very cool.

Begrudgingly,

BB

Notre-Dame-de-Grace

In my last blog post, Ulamonge Blog, I described this blogging site that showcases the best of pop culture art, photography, video, and design.  The post was my point of view on blogs being used as a vehicle to communicate and inspire art, thus becoming art.  But, a particular photo in that post has called some attention. 

The five-story “Our Lady of Grace” mural that I referred to was created by a team from the artist-run collective in Montreal called, A’Shop.  Richard “Bugs” Bernett originally blogged about this amazing mural in his post titled “Montreal Graffiti Artists Paint Five-story NDG Masterpiece Dubbed Our Lady of Grace.”  In his blog, Bernett notes that graffiti artist, Fluke, from A’Shop describes the mural as a modern take on “Our Lady of Grace” inspired by Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha. 

Notre-Dame-de-Grace is French for Our Lady of Grace.  It is also the name of the borough in which the mural was painted.  So the mural is commonly referred to as the N.D.G. Project.  Bernett writes in his blog that Fluke, from A’Shop, hopes this N.D.G. Project will encourage other city boroughs to consider murals of their own.

I certainly hope it does as well.

Well done, A’Shop!

          And Bugs…  thanks for the blog.

Begrudgingly,

BB

Ulamonge Blog

When Thomas Friedman wrote “The World Is Flat” he had the global supply chain and foreign policy in mind.  He didn’t touch upon the globalization of art and the influences and inspirations of a modern global culture connected by technology – but what an interesting topic that is!   Maybe the culmination of information for this study will not be found in a hard cover book, like Friedman’s assessment of economic globalization.   Perhaps it will be found in the dynamic environment of a blog – organically developing and changing with each post and idea and member and contribution.

The Ulamonge Blog has come to be considered as an interactive art and design reference to the creative community.  It is a blog community showcasing the freshest, most innovative and inspiring pop culture art, graphic design, street art, web design, graffiti, and photography.  Bloggers contribute work from all over the world. 

So, you can witness the “Our Lady of Grace” mural going up on Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal...

 

                           

 

... and a click later, link to Brooklyn to see graffiti art put up in the middle of the night.

And, why shouldn’t this new study and new reference be in that new format called “experience.”  Art is no longer the combination of medium and inspiration.  It is now the combination of medium, technology, stimulation, engineering, science, people, collaboration, interaction, inspiration, and communication.  

Begrudgingly,

BB

 

Pas de Deux

Pas de Deux is French for “Step for Two.”  It has traditionally been used to describe dancing with a partner in the art of ballet.  In ballet, with the support of a male partner, the woman can take positions that she would not be able to assume by herself.  As the man lifts the danseuse, she appears to be able to jump higher, turn longer in a promenade and float across the stage above his lifts.

I was first introduced to the term Pas de Deux as a young teen when asked to critique, in a poem, the balcony scene from a Romeo and Juliet ballet production.  I gained an appreciation for the dance and, of course, the story.

Even though the term Pas de Deux is traditionally and typically used to describe partnering in ballet, it can also apply to other dance genres.  Here are some examples of the Pas de Deux in the genres of Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Break Dancing.

Hip Hop Pas de Deux

Contemporary Pas de Deux

Break Dancing Pas de Deux

And since we are approaching the holiday season, I included a stunning Pas de Deux performed by Miyako Yoshida as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Steven McRae as her prince from the Royal Ballet production of The Nutcracker.

Each dance style is striking and passionate.  

Each with distinction. 

All with magnificence.   

Begrudgingly,

BB

 

Breaking Down Ballet

Now that Black Swan starring Natalie Portman is on cable, more people than ever are being exposed to the art of the dance of ballet.  Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky, presents the same type of character depth and story intensity as his 2008 movie,  The Wrestler, with Mickey Rourke. 

In Black Swan, Portman’s character, Nina Sayers, balances a line between reality and insanity as she strives towards perfectionism in her pursuit of and ultimate portrayal of the White Swan and its counter, the passionate Black Swan from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." 

Vincent Cassel plays the role of Thomas Leroy, the brilliant, yet hugely egotistic artistic director.  Through the movie, he explains the story of Swan Lake and describes the emotional state of the White Swan and the Black Swan – which Portman’s character internalizes to the point of madness. 

See the movie and you’ll never watch a ballet quite the same way again.

You can download the MP3 tracks from any of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" Acts via this link.  

Below are some live performances that you may not want to miss.

The New York City Ballet is now performing The Nutcracker at the David H. Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center, followed by Romeo and Juliet later in the season.  And in an encore performance, Paul McCartney’s Ocean’s Kingdom, orchestrated by Andrew Cottee and choreographed by Peter Martins will be back this January.  You can click here to review a program description and order tickets for Ocean's Kingdom.

Ballet Chicago is performing The Nutcracker at the Athenaeum Theatre and Balanchine Masterworks this spring at The Harris Theatre for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.

The San Francisco Ballet is performing John Cranko’s Onegin, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker this season at The War Memorial Opera House.

At the Academy of Music, the Pennsylvania Ballet is performing Russian Suite and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker featuring the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra.

The Pacific Northwest Ballet is performing Love Stories, The Nutcracker, and Don Quixote at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall this season.

The Miami City Ballet performing at the Adrienne Arsht Center, has an extensive line up this fall with Square Dance, World Premiere Ballet, Giselle, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Afternoon of a Faun, In the Night, Liturgy, Ballet Imperial, and In the Upper Room.

Enjoy the season.

Begrudgingly,

BB

Beauty in a Day

I spent my Sunday this week in Lambertville, a small town nestled on the east bank of the Delaware River.  It was cool and sunny, perfect for driving down the garden state to see fall foliage.  I brought my little Cyber-shot camera to take pictures if the spirit moved me.  I did randomly snap photos here and there during the day.  But, when I got back home and clicked through the images, I was just amazed at the beauty in a day.

  

 

                                                    

                 

                                                

Simple things that I would have overlooked took on patterns.  Shapes flowed together and politely paid each other compliments.  Maybe it was just how the afternoon stars were aligned, but everywhere I looked, I was surrounded by beauty – in a day.

Begrudgingly,

BB

The Kindness of a Curator

Today, I was checking the Internet to see what exhibits are currently at the MOMA.  I perused the work of several artists and stopped on some paintings by Bill Traylor.  In the midst of my familiarity and appreciation for Traylor’s work, what instantly came to mind was my introduction to his story and his work – brought to me by the kindness of a curator. 

Last year, I was visiting the Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff in Atlanta to see an evening play.  I had some time before the play started, so I ordered dinner at the Arts Center restaurant, Table 1280.  There happened to be a reception that evening in the same lounge where I was having dinner.  While sipping a dry Cabernet, I admired the elegance of this group for whom the reception was in honor. I listened in on a conversation or two about music, the arts, endowments and installations.  It turns out that these were scholars of the arts and curators and directors of the High Museum of Art.

At one point, one of the curators who had been honored that evening stepped to the bar to have her drink refreshed.  Having some knowledge of her accomplishments from the evening’s speeches, I congratulated her on her recent installation in the Rita Richman Gallery and told her that I was in Atlanta for a couple of days and was seeing a play that evening.  She gave me her card and invited me for a tour inside the High Museum the next day.

I thoroughly enjoyed the play, The Nacirema Society, that evening.  The next day, I headed back downtown to the Woodruff Arts Center’s High Museum where I was given a private tour with this extraordinary woman who I met the evening before.  She walked me through the gallery gifting me with her knowledge of ancient and contemporary art. 

We stopped at a Bembe mask from the Republic of Congo, where she described it being used in initiation rituals by the powerful Alunga men’s organization.  She detailed the eyes of the mask painted white, indicating supernatural vision.   

    

                                         

She stopped by several carved figures and explained their history, origin, and significance – like this 19^th century Lobi sculpture called “Seated Figure,” carved to protect individuals and the community.

She was knowledgeable and passionate as she described the technique of contemporary artist, El Anatsui’s, metal cloth sculpture.  

She explained that we were looking at bits of aluminum from the necks and tops of discarded liquor bottles woven together. 

She used the motion of her arms to describe the motion of the sculpture with its deep folds and bands of color.

When my tour concluded, I found myself at the top of a stairway.  I think she noticed that I couldn’t keep my eyes off this amazing black, glass chandelier that hung above the stairs.  So, she shared with me the history of that chandelier, too. 

Thank you, Carol, for sharing your knowledge and your kindness…

Begrudgingly,

BB