African American Art Exhibit Reflects Struggle, Celebration

A few days ago, I visited the new exhibit, “African American Art:  Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond,” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8^th and F Streets, NW, Washington, DC.  The exhibit will be on display until September 3, 2012.

At the entrance to the exhibit, a stunning acrylic on canvas by Alma Thomas greets you.  Titled, Celestial Fantasy 1973, this bright turquoise-colored abstract painting with bits of neon yellow, coral, and dark teal here and there seems to represent celebration.  It’s guaranteed to put you in a good mood and make you want to move onward, into the next rooms to view other works on display.

In some rooms of the exhibit, which is comprehensive, certain works are immediately recognizable, for example some works by:  William H. Johnson, Romare Bearden, Lois Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, and Alma Thomas.  Visitors’ familiarity with these artists might stem from their high school and college art appreciation classes.  Visitors might find they have already seen certain works by the aforementioned artists, the ones that always seem to appear in books; other exhibits; on calendars, note cards, stationery boxes, lithographs, and posters.  Coincidentally, some of Romare Bearden’s work is represented on United States postage stamps.

However, some works on display might not be that familiar to some visitors, even if the creators of those works are familiar.  Some of the possibly unfamiliar works are a couple of paintings each by:  Beauford Delaney, Hale Woodruff, Robert Delaney, Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam and others; plus a few sculptures by Sam Gilliam, and other artists.  There are a number of large colorful sculptures, smaller onyx ones, and shiny black-and-white metallic ones in the exhibit.

Black-and-white photos are in the exhibit too.  Some are by well-known  historical and civil rights photographers like Gordon Parks, Roy De Carava, Roland L. Freeman, and Robert McNeill.  Some of their photos in this exhibit are famous, having appeared in other exhibits, books, and magazines; some may have never been seen by some visitors.

Photographer Tony Gleaton’s work is new to me.  He is represented in this exhibit by brilliant photos from his series on Africa’s legacy to Central America titled, “Tengo Casi 500 Años.”

The moods and emotions of works in this exhibit–which are created with oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas; lead; clay; black-and-white film, and mixed media–reflect spirituality, passivity, aggressiveness, serenity, struggle, celebration, depression; pride, prejudice; sadness, and triumph of the human spirit.

Jazz Songs in TV Ads: Trendy

Of the clever advertisements sponsoring TV shows right now, some are as amusing as the Honda ads featuring a car salesman and his repartee with potential customers.  Others are either so dramatic or comedic that it’s hard to tell when a scene of the program they’re sponsoring ends and the commercial break begins.  Then there are the ads with songs (specifically jazz songs), which seem aimed at making viewers feel that if they buy the product being promoted, they’ll find love, or become glamorous and popular; or feel healthier.  Following are a few examples of currently running jazz-filled TV ads that have caught my attention.

There’s the Lays Potato Chips commercial that has Etta James’s rendition of the jazz song At Last playing in the background; while a woman in the commercial is eating chips in a way that suggests Lays Potato Chips, her love, has finally come along.

The DSW (Discount Shoes Warehouse) commercial features attractive women walking around in summer shoes and sandals to the tune of pop and jazz singer Nat King Cole’s recording of Day in, Day Out.

A health care-related product named Osteo Bi-Flex, for joint care, is currently advertised to the song This Joint Is Jumping, which was composed by pianist/composer/bandleader Count Basie, and played by his orchestra.

Cold Stone Creamery is using pop and jazz singer Natalie Cole’s recording of This Will Be as an assist in promoting its ice creams and other desserts.

Although the jazz songs in a couple of the above-mentioned commercials are not a perfect match for the products they’re supposed to help sell, the songs do grab one’s ear; which in turn causes one to pay attention to the product being promoted.  Perhaps the trend of jazz songs in TV ads will continue for a while.  This jazz lover would not complain if it does.

About April (An Arts-related Piece)

In many areas of the United States, the month of April is a confirmation that spring is trying to settle in and display all of its beauty.  Such is the case in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, the region where I live. The famous Cherry Blossoms are in bloom, as are apple blossoms, jonquils, tulips, chrysanthemums, and other colorful flowers of the season.  The grass is verdant again, and leaves on the area’s myriad trees are budding green.  The air seems fresh as it alternates between cool and crisp on some days, and mild and not-so-crisp on others. April seems to say that good things are still possible for this troubled world as well as for people’s individual lives.

        April tries to take care of the environment with its rains and breezes and its renewal of Earth’s creatures.  Not only is April a renewal month and a poster month for the environment, April is also, as most people know, a big month for travel.

        In Aprils past, I’ve traveled to California, Florida, and New York, among other places. Thinking of April travel destinations reminds me of songs like “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “April in Paris.”  I’ve never been to Paris in April.  But some of my friends will be traveling to the City of Light next week.  While they’re in Paris, I’ll be “in the shed” working on my book projects.  However, I’ll be thinking about them during the next few weeks, whenever I think of the song “April in Paris,” and whenever I have my own memories of Paris in mind.

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         Below is a link to a performance of April in Paris by Ella Fitzgerald.  It’s a real favorite.

                                                 http://youtu.be/MjMlsajLCAw

A Tribute to the Nicholas Brothers

Last Friday evening Bruce Goldstein, Film Forum’s repertory program director, presented A Tribute to the Nicholas Brothers.  Goldstein presented this tribute in Silver Spring, Maryland, at the AFI Theater and Cultural Center.  it was part of that theater and cultural center’s Special Engagements series.

Bruce Goldstein’s presentation was reminiscent of a slide show; as he stood on the floor at a podium, to the left of the audience’s view of the screen and narrated a stream of black-and-white movie clips featuring the Nicholas Brothers.  Some of the clips were home movies the self-taught dancing brothers made when they were very young.  Other clips were from sound movies featuring the Nicholas Brothers, and made by Warner Brothers and Twentieth Century Fox studios.  Bruce Goldstein also showed interviews he had done with the fabulous dance duo late in their lives.

Goldstein told the audience he was a friend of the Nicholas Brothers.  He was also writer and co-producer of a 1991 documentary about the international iconic dance team.

Amazing with their acrobatic, classy jazz tap dancing routines, the Nicholas Brothers, Fayard (1914 – 2000) and Harold (1921 – 2006), were among the greatest dancers of the 20th Century.  They were idolized by other famous dancers such as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Gregory Hines, Michael Jackson, and Savion Glover; who also learned from the fabulous team.

The Nicholas Brothers performed in Vaudeville,TV, and in many movies, including Stormy Weather.  In Stormy Weather, they did a staircase dance act known as one of the greatest dance sequences of all time.

Bruce Goldstein’s program A Tribute to the Nicholas Brothers was well attended.  In fact, the audience was packed.  Before filing into the auditorium, attendees stood in line chatting with each other about how they used to watch old movies featuring the Nicholas Brothers.  Their chatting with friends and strangers alike led to conversations about other subjects and to pleasant socializing.  When this special event was over, the crowded audience filed out of the theater with smiles on their faces.

Herbie Hancock and the L.A. Phil: Dynamic!

Last night at 9:00pm Eastern Time, legendary American pianist Herbie Hancock and the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed on PBS-TV’s Great Performances program, playing an all Gershwin menu.  The program featured “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris,” plus Hancock as he also played “Someone to Watch Over Me,” a standard recorded by many pop and jazz artists.  With Herbie Hancock and the L.A. Philharmonic music director/conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the program was dynamic and very enjoyable.  Everyone appeared excited and enthusiastic, including the symphony’s musicians, its conductor, and Herbie Hancock, who is the L.A. Phil’s Creative Chair for Jazz.  The audience showed their excitement and pleasure too, as they gave the performers a jubilant ovation at the end of the program.

The Film THE ARTIST: Full of Surprises

Because I had avoided reading any of the reviews of The Artist before going to see it, I had no expectations.    Even though I’d heard it won 6 Golden Globe Awards and Best Picture at the Cannes Film Festival, plus other prestigious prizes, I knew there was no guarantee I’d like the film.  But as it turned out, The Artist  surprised me with its riveting plot and its nice mix of comedy, romance, and drama.  Following is more of what I learned about the film as I viewed it.

Set in the silent film era of the  late 1920s until the 1930s, when talking movies came into existence, the plot and pace of The Artist can make movie goers forget the film is in black-and-white.  Its stars, French actors Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo really become their characters, as they silently pull you into their amusing antics and dramatic real-life situations and do not release you until the film’s end.

Main character George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is the proud, arrogant Hollywood film star who gives dancer Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) her start in acting.  When the film industry changes and silent films give way to so called talkies, Valentin refuses to act in talking films until tragic events cause him to convert.  Peppy Miller is captivating as she spirals to stardom but does not lose her values or her loyalty to Valentin even after his career and life hit rock bottom.

Supported by a cast of real life accomplished actors and directed by French director Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist deserves the award nominations it has received and the awards it has won, as well as those it has yet to win. — VWG

The Kennedy Center Honors: Uplifting

The Kennedy Center Honors, shown on CBS-TV on December 27 at 9:00 p.m., was classy, entertaining, and uplifting.  This year’s honorees:  the great jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins; actor Meryl Streep; singer, songwriter Neil Diamond; Broadway star Barbara Cook; and cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer Yo-Yo Ma were introduced in turn and shown, via black-and-white video, a retrospective of their lives.

Each honoree was also awarded a live, on-stage tribute by a comedian or actor, plus singers, dancers, and musicians.  From time to time, the camera would switch from the performers on stage speaking, dancing, singing, or playing musical tributes to the honorees, who were sitting together, along with President and Mrs. Obama, high above a star-studded audience.

Whenever the camera focused on the honorees, I watched their faces.  A few of them sat expressionless as they viewed the performers on stage; while a couple of the honorees smiled broadly and relaxed their body language, showing joy at the performances on stage paying tribute to them.  The honorees who sat expressionless may have been feeling joy inside.  I don’t know.  But of this I’m sure:  The Kennedy Center Honorees for 2011—through their artistry and through their long, productive careers—have given and continue to give wonderful and lasting gifts to their fans, the country, and the world.

The Film LE HAVRE: Remarkable!

Le Havre, now playing in selected theaters, is an award-winning film set in the French harbor city of the same name.  The film is about Marcel Marx (Andre Wilms) and a young African refugee named Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) whom Marcel helps to avoid deportation.  Marcel, an aging shoe-shine man, welcomes Idrissa into his home and goes to great lengths to protect and help him in his quest to reunite with his mother in London.

A  heartwarming story, Le Havre shows that the more one gives, the more one receives; and that one can be poor in terms of material possessions and money but rich in friendships and community.  Sacrificial love, loyalty, and fidelity —as illustrated in the relationship between Marcel and his wife, Arletty (Kati Outinen), who becomes very ill—are also explored.

There are a couple of nice plot twists in the film; which movie lovers are sure to appreciate when they view this remarkable film.

 Written and directed by Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki, Le Havre was winner of the International Film Critics Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival; and the ARRI Prize for Best International Film at the 2011 Munich Film Festival.  (Finland/ France/ Germany, 2011)

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Le Havre: in French with English subtitles; in Washington, DC, at Landmark E Street Cinema, 1 hr. 33 min.

The 30 AMERICANS Exhibit: Stunning

Above are some of the artists whose works appear in 30 AMERICANS.

The 30 Americans exhibit now on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, through February 12, 2012 is absolutely stunning.  Comprised of a wide range of work by many of the most important African American artists in the last three decades, the exhibit features 76 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos.  It focuses on racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture, and it explores artistic influence across generations.  The works in the exhibit are from the Rubell Family Collection, and were originally displayed at the Rubell Family Foundation in Miami, Florida.  The various works range from vibrant and provocative to statement-making, to disturbing.   This exhibit is a must-see event.

The Movie “Margin Call” – Worth the Time

Yesterday I saw the new movie Margin Call at the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.  In the photo (which is slightly dated), the marquee shows part of the Midnight in Paris title, the Woody Allen film featured at the venue until a couple of days ago.  By yesterday the marquee was changed to show Margin Call, which is currently playing there.

Margin call, starring Kevin Spacy, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons and others is about an investment firm that makes the right moves to try to save itself as soon as it learns an economic downtown in this country is eminent, and that the firm will go under if it does not make smart moves immediately.  In view of the current real-life Occupy Wall Street protest movement, this film is timely.  Along with the greed and cutthroat  politics in this story, the human side of some of its characters is also shown.  Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci make viewers care about their characters.  Overall the film is interesting adult fare, sometimes tense.   —- V.W.G.