While I was gone, two amazing shows opened on 20th St. I managed to catch them before the curtain is drawn.
James Jean's works were much more sensual in real life--I loved his works for Fables, but these personal works were just amazing.
It was great to see both the finished paintings and the study drawings. Such beautiful brushworks! Flowing lines and layers and layers of luminous volumes. I've rarely seen such disciplined sense of design and composition, as in his study drawings which were done on letter-sized copy paper, if I saw correctly.
My friend found the less controlled style of his, such as in his corner paintings and the paitning of a blue tree-horse, very interesting. From the exhibited works, it seemed there is a significant distance between the gestural and the developed sides. I'm much more used to and fond with the latter, but it would be great to see if he can bridge the styles.
Since my friend was not feeling too good, we decided to skip other galleries in the building for today. But as we walked East, we passed by Jack Shainman where we saw paintings and photographs in December. (We didn't really like them--slightly unpleasant spectacles)
Saw this on the gallery window.
This friend of mine was who I had spent 4 hours with in Met's African Art wing, on a cold day of last December. This exhibition "Recent Soundsuits" by Nick Cave, simply blew us! We loved his take on the African ceremonial costumes, served neatly in fashion context. I can only imagine, and would love to hear the sounds these suits make.
I enjoyed the 5 sculptures near the entrance of the gallery which bridges to the more political pieces in the other room. However in form and design the soundsuits were more grasping for me.
The overlapping of different patterns and repetition of beautiful forms--beads, flowers and birds, were very exotic. The synthetic fur felt alien, and seemd to arouse some primal fear in my friend. I loved the collection, which felt like costumes and fashion for those who are past everyday human. Some aliens, or supreme beings.
Despite the cold walk to and from the gallery block, I feel so giddy and happy!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Braking the Cycle
Sometime in June, I was told by David Lam at BFold that there is a fundrasing ride from Boston to New York.
I immediately shouted to myself, "I gotta do this. I've always dreamed to do that!"
When I was still at school, I often daydreamed about biking to either Boston or New York.
Traveling by bike is for me the most amazing and authentic way to travel.
More efficient than walking, while every aspect of the terrain affecting my progress.
The only thing that daunts me is the ride, "Braking the Cycle" (9/26-28) is a serious fundrasing ride, to help AIDS care and services at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I'll ride 250 miles for 3 days, and need to raise $3500 minimum, plus $85 registration fee.
Three thousand and five hundred dollars. Wow. That is so many months of rent. (Talking about rent, I'm still looking for another apartment to move to in September with my dear friend Rachel Ahn. I hope I'm nicely settled in the apartment when I do this ride.)
At Braking the Cycle's official website, I read the training guideline. One of the first steps, asked me how much I can comfortably ride in a day.
I have rather prided myself in riding my bike everywhere in NYC. My usual long course would be a round trip between my apartment in Washington Heights and Canal Street, Chinatown. Drawing a line on Google Maps, it roughly turns out to be 10.35 miles one way, and 20.75 miles for the round trip.
The training guide tells me I need to train myself so my daily mileage will shoot up to 100 miles. In 7 weeks, I believe it is achievable. But it still makes my stomach lurch.
I called my mother, who has helped organizing fundrasing walks in Korea.
After laughingly telling me that I shouldn't expect much help from her or friends in Korea in general, she gave me some advices that sounded practical and useful.
From this week on, I'll start my training and fundrasing efforts.
This blog will be the documentation of my progress, with every bits of failure and success.
I immediately shouted to myself, "I gotta do this. I've always dreamed to do that!"
When I was still at school, I often daydreamed about biking to either Boston or New York.
Traveling by bike is for me the most amazing and authentic way to travel.
More efficient than walking, while every aspect of the terrain affecting my progress.
The only thing that daunts me is the ride, "Braking the Cycle" (9/26-28) is a serious fundrasing ride, to help AIDS care and services at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I'll ride 250 miles for 3 days, and need to raise $3500 minimum, plus $85 registration fee.
Three thousand and five hundred dollars. Wow. That is so many months of rent. (Talking about rent, I'm still looking for another apartment to move to in September with my dear friend Rachel Ahn. I hope I'm nicely settled in the apartment when I do this ride.)
At Braking the Cycle's official website, I read the training guideline. One of the first steps, asked me how much I can comfortably ride in a day.
I have rather prided myself in riding my bike everywhere in NYC. My usual long course would be a round trip between my apartment in Washington Heights and Canal Street, Chinatown. Drawing a line on Google Maps, it roughly turns out to be 10.35 miles one way, and 20.75 miles for the round trip.
The training guide tells me I need to train myself so my daily mileage will shoot up to 100 miles. In 7 weeks, I believe it is achievable. But it still makes my stomach lurch.
I called my mother, who has helped organizing fundrasing walks in Korea.
After laughingly telling me that I shouldn't expect much help from her or friends in Korea in general, she gave me some advices that sounded practical and useful.
From this week on, I'll start my training and fundrasing efforts.
This blog will be the documentation of my progress, with every bits of failure and success.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Dragon Raja
Based on Dragon Raja by Young Do Yi.
The hero supposedly drowning in the mysterious lake of Fairies.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Thai Restaurant
I usually have Pad Thai. Others have Green Curry.
Ami had Pad Thai, I had Green Curry
If I she had Green Curry I would have Pad Thai.
Green Curry and chicken and bamboo sticks all sweetly chumped together.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Superhero Fantasy & Coutre
Today I went to see the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan. I got there later than I planned, then confidently strode toward the costume gallery in the basement, only to find out the show took place in the first floor.
Actual costumes and influenced works were placed in front of curved walls of relevant movie scenes and illustrations. Themes went as the iconic image of Superman, aerodynamic design with Flash, designs inspired by costumes of Spider Man and Cat Woman with the actual costume from films, and Postmodern (goth, punk, grunge) influence with Punisher.
I liked works by Alexander McQueen including the beautiful kimono football armor, and a black geometric costume at the Cat Woman exhibit. (I lost the name of the designer)
The exhibits were themed by the altered body; Patriotic Body (stars and spangles), Armored Body (with Iron Man costume), Mutated Body (with X-men).
The last one was my favorite of the show. A mannequin sample of X-men Mystic's silicone body-- her life-sized figure complete with eyes and hair, standing on a rotating platform. I couldn't stop marveling at the wonderful fetish aesthetics. Scale, fur, feather enveloping the body in curves, in bare lines to accentuate the cleavage. I loved such details as asymmetry on the legs and spiky texture on her breasts.
I also really liked the curating of the show. Taking place inside the Greek-Roman gallery, you walk past marble statues of Greco-Roman gods into the show where a classic picture of Superman greets you. Modern pop culture of fashion, comic and cinema put side by side with the classic art. Somebody said the culture of superheroes and fantasy is mythology in today's world, and the setting just embodied that sense of myth.
Another interesting element was the mirrored walls.
The gallery space was small, and the curators tried hard to maximize it. The walls of forked paths were all mirrored, and Mystic's body was placed in front of such wall to show the whole body all the time.
I watched people looking at themselves before the exhibit. Some just darted their gaze at it, some stared longer, fixing their hair, collars, bags.
At Mystic's exhibit where crowds gathered to gaze at her body, I saw a woman standing with her boyfriend. She took her eyes off before him, toward the mirror. She put her head against his shoulder and smiled at the reflection.
I felt the placing of mirror was not only effective but also appropriate for this exhibition of fashion and fantasy. For isn't fashion founded upon vanity--a person's interest in self, how he or she looks?
Actual costumes and influenced works were placed in front of curved walls of relevant movie scenes and illustrations. Themes went as the iconic image of Superman, aerodynamic design with Flash, designs inspired by costumes of Spider Man and Cat Woman with the actual costume from films, and Postmodern (goth, punk, grunge) influence with Punisher.
I liked works by Alexander McQueen including the beautiful kimono football armor, and a black geometric costume at the Cat Woman exhibit. (I lost the name of the designer)
The exhibits were themed by the altered body; Patriotic Body (stars and spangles), Armored Body (with Iron Man costume), Mutated Body (with X-men).
The last one was my favorite of the show. A mannequin sample of X-men Mystic's silicone body-- her life-sized figure complete with eyes and hair, standing on a rotating platform. I couldn't stop marveling at the wonderful fetish aesthetics. Scale, fur, feather enveloping the body in curves, in bare lines to accentuate the cleavage. I loved such details as asymmetry on the legs and spiky texture on her breasts.
I also really liked the curating of the show. Taking place inside the Greek-Roman gallery, you walk past marble statues of Greco-Roman gods into the show where a classic picture of Superman greets you. Modern pop culture of fashion, comic and cinema put side by side with the classic art. Somebody said the culture of superheroes and fantasy is mythology in today's world, and the setting just embodied that sense of myth.
Another interesting element was the mirrored walls.
The gallery space was small, and the curators tried hard to maximize it. The walls of forked paths were all mirrored, and Mystic's body was placed in front of such wall to show the whole body all the time.
I watched people looking at themselves before the exhibit. Some just darted their gaze at it, some stared longer, fixing their hair, collars, bags.
At Mystic's exhibit where crowds gathered to gaze at her body, I saw a woman standing with her boyfriend. She took her eyes off before him, toward the mirror. She put her head against his shoulder and smiled at the reflection.
I felt the placing of mirror was not only effective but also appropriate for this exhibition of fashion and fantasy. For isn't fashion founded upon vanity--a person's interest in self, how he or she looks?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Oh the terrible sight of my website...
I'm working hard on reopening my website after so many months of not tending to it.
I'm relearning Html layout, css, action script and all those jango lingo. It's very time-consuming and mind-boggling.
But one thing I learned after a year of postgraduation confusion, is that being slow is better than being half. Basically I'm preferring carrots over whips.
When it's done I'll name it ygracepark.com, a very simple and sensible name.
I'll try to make myself feel at home with it, with an active blog and all. I already have a blog with Egloos for my Korean and manga-loving friends. But for the English site I'll use this Blogger page.
Cheers to myself!
I'm relearning Html layout, css, action script and all those jango lingo. It's very time-consuming and mind-boggling.
But one thing I learned after a year of postgraduation confusion, is that being slow is better than being half. Basically I'm preferring carrots over whips.
When it's done I'll name it ygracepark.com, a very simple and sensible name.
I'll try to make myself feel at home with it, with an active blog and all. I already have a blog with Egloos for my Korean and manga-loving friends. But for the English site I'll use this Blogger page.
Cheers to myself!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
