|
Sydney Pollack’s film, "Sketches of Frank Gehry” (see last November’s post) has received its summer theatrical release.
In other film news, Kate Blanchett spends her cinematic summer in Romania, disappearing into a fascinating and extreme instance of casting against type.
Also, is the future one of unobstructed views? Perhaps the most compelling release in pre-production concerns something you necessarily won’t be seeing any time soon.
In recognition of Bob Dylan’s 65th birthday how 'bout a quote from the master:
“You don’t have to starve to be a good artist. You just have to have love, insight and a strong point of view. And you have to fight off depravity.” Malibu, 1978 pg 360
As if the Never Ending Tour weren’t enough, you can now catch Bob playing DJ, drawing on music from his personal collection for a program on XM Satellite Radio. You can even savor each show’s playlist.
Overheard this sunny morning in Tompkins Square Park in response to the offer of a pamphlet proposing a “simple plan of salvation:”
“No thanks, I’m good.”
Watching Junebug, I was struck by the paintings ascribed to the outsider artist character. Their authenticity far exceeds the norm for “movie art.” Part Howard Finster, part Henry Darger, yet still original, these paintings were created for the film by Brooklyn artist, Ann Wood. Be sure to check out her portaits on the site, too.
Tool’s fidelity to the waning format of the compact disc has pushed them to the top of the Billboard chart, according to the NY Times. Opting out of the iTunes singles format for downloading, the band intends fans to perceive their cds as protracted works - each song contributing to an arc of expression and internal logic that culminates with the last track. Quite different than the atomized experience of a stand-alone mp3.
Neil Young’s new work does the same for the long-play form but with a twist. Far from restricting access, Young’s made his entire cd, Living With War, available for online listening... free. (Scroll. Look for "Listen to Living With War FREE). The only “price” you have to pay is one of attention. You’re obliged to listen to the recording in its composed order.
Tool and Young are advocates for the bygone pleasures of committed listening, implying that said may be a salve to the synaptic sound bites of our daily dose of media. It’s retro-visionary and, after listening all the way through, rewarding.
Wall text at the Guggenheim’s ongoing David Smith retrospective (closing May 14) features this tantalizing quote from the sculptor:
“Drawing is the most direct, closest to the true self, the most natural liberation of man - and if I may guess back to the action of very early man, it may have been the first celebration of man with his secret self - even before song” 1955
In all the hullabaloo around the new Clinton Presidential Portrait, I found I derived a jolt just from seeing some painting.
Going out of the way to walk down freshly asphalted streets, the slight give underfoot feels earthlike.
