18 December 2008 | Art and Culture | wilsoj2
I went Tuesday night to the open performance of a work in progress: Fermata. It was a very powerful piece for dancers and sound. Three movements which assaulted, caressed, engaged, and finally amused the audience. Fermata explored faith, death, etc… As a work in progress, we were treated to the comments of the creator and composer before and between movements, as well as a question and answer period after the performance which was free flowing.
“Hailing from Melbourne, BalletLab is regarded as one of the most inventive experimental dance companies working in Australia today. Combining densely layered, technical dancing with installation, sound and set collaborations, Artistic Director Phillip Adams has created a significant body of work that is sophisticated, physically idiosyncratic and aesthetically unique.” (from the EMPAC website: www.empac.rpi.edu)
Part of what stuck me in the comments by Phillip Adams was how much his points of reference were cinema. He especially mentioned 1960s and 1970s science fiction films. Among those he referenced as influences were : 2001: A Space Odyssey, THX1138, and Logan’s Run. I am old enough to remember when it seemed that movies drew from stage and literature. Now , it seems, that movies are a major source for those older media.
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17 December 2008 | Sage | wilsoj2
As the semester winds down there are a number of Sage holiday events. This past Sunday the Sage Singers performed at St. Augustine’s in Lansingburg (North Troy). St Augustine’s is an extraordinarily beautiful church. The major work of the concert was the Ruttter Magnificat. This is a very rich and demanding piece. The chorus did a wonderful job and Michael Musial can be rightfully proud.
President Scrimshaw and her husband (Allen Stern) sing in the chorus. They invited singers and their families back to Vail House after the concert. This very formal early 19th Century house came alive with people eating, drinking cider and singing. Susan Scrimshaw noted that it is how she envisions the house – full of people singing and talking.
Today, is the President’s annual Holiday Party. This year it is at Bush on the Troy campus. This party provides an opportunity for all members of the Sage community to wish each other well. While the economy may have dampened some spirits, the enthusiasm many are feeling for the future of Sage will likely be evident.
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15 December 2008 | Art and Culture | wilsoj2
This is the one course I teach these days. It is seminar style which provides me with nearly three hours a week of talking about art with young artists (mostly 4th year BFA candidates). My absolute favorite part of the course is Final Presentations.
Each student in the class chooses an artist, artwork, or body of work she feels is significant. The emphasis is on contemporary artists/art. Over two days each student presents an oral and visual lecture. Presentations are 5-10 minutes long. Everyone present evaluates each presentation.
I enjoy hearing about the artists students have chosen and am delighted when artists previously unknown to me are described. These reports provide me with possibly the best sense of how well students have understood the concepts covered in the course. The forms used for evaluation includes room for comments. Sometimes these comments are very keen and insightful.
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