New Measures of Contextual Understanding: #758 Nascent confrontation between a stratospheric conceptualization of abstruse geopolitical realities and one of many avatars of contemporary paleo-liberal optimism

Artists in 2-D and 3-D and Video at the Williamsburg Art and Historical Center

 International Show

Artists in 2-D and 3-D and Video

 

Curated by Yuko Nii & Assisted by Germania Reyes  

 

May 18 - June 22, 2024

OPENING RECEPTION:

 

Saturday, May 18, 3-5 PM

Featured Artists:

 

Ricardo Arango (Colombia), Greg Geffner (USA), Glen Goodenough (USA), Drew Maillard (USA), Tairan Hao (China), Sato Masaaki (Japan), Larry Scaturro (USA), Oxana Kovalchuk (Russia), Rhea Marmentini (Spain), Eloa Jane Pereira (Brazil), Yupin Pramotepipop (Thailand), Cheryl Safren (USA), SUPRINA (USA) and Natsuki Takauji (Japan)

Curator's Statement:

Dear Friends,                                                                   Most artists tend to concentrate on their one chosen medium either in 2-D works such as painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, or in 3-D works, sculpture, ceramic, glass work, etc. - one or the other but not both. This particular show is of work by artists who pursue both 2-D and 3-D works and also Video. It will be interesting to see how these artists have expanded their creativity not limited to one medium only, but working 2-D, 3-D, or Video.  “Recently we have experienced a darkest period in our life, first with the deadly coronavirus pandemic followed by another horrifying social pandemic both of which have spread not only all over the USA but also worldwide like a tsunami, and nothing seemed to help lift our spirits in hope for humanity.” –Yuko Nii The long-lasting coronavirus pandemic and social pandemic have resulted in today's fragmented world as if we've lost any solution to make the world united and working together. The fact is that throughout human history, the world has never experienced total peace. As long as we are human beings embedded with the animal instinct, we fight for survival. Our strong innate emotion takes over the intellect and war seem inevitable.   While we are seeing/experiencing the horrifying scenes in every part of the world, I think of my own small life, feeling how blessed I am because my life is gratifyingly directly connected with creative art-making projects, which is far from fighting for or against something, but rather struggling within ourselves to find something satisfying and getting pleasure as result of what we have created.   The mission of the WAH Center is based upon my "Bridge Concept.” which is encapsulated in the word “WAH” which means in Japanese written in with Chinese characters, "Peace" or "Harmony" or 'Unity."   The WAH Center connects internationally, so we have quite a few international artists who have exhibited in our shows in the past.   When I began thinking of the future show, I thought this time would be fitting to have an international show. So, I came up with the idea of bringing together the multi-talented artists from our local community of American artists and some international artists who have exhibited at the WAH Center in the past. I am happy to say that both the American artists and the international artists have been continuously pursuing their artists' careers actively in New York City.    And this show is very special to bring the artists who pursue 2-D and 3-D, but also Video. And interestingly enough one cannot help noticing each distinctively unique heritages and cultures they have in their native countries, which reveals itself in each artist’s work. I am very pleased to present the special visions of the following 14 participants in the show including 7 male and 7 female artists from different countries, Brazil, Columbia, China, Japan, Russia, Spain, Thailand and of course from the USA!   Ricardo Arango (Colombia), Greg Geffner (USA), Glen Goodenough (USA), Drew Maillard (USA), Tairan Hao (China), Sato Masaaki (Japan), Larry Scaturro (USA), Oxana Kovalchuk (Russia), Rhea Marmentini (Spain), Eloa Jane Pereira (Brazil), Yupin Pramotepipop (Thailand), Cheryl Safren (USA), SUPRINA (USA) and Natsuki Takauji (Japan).   Looking forward to seeing you there!   Yuko Nii

New Measures of Contextual Understanding: #189 Valorization of a routine ingress: grand, inclusive, and soon forgotten

Key data points in middlebrow consciousness, a 1966 case study; cf. "poshlost" (по́шлость); cf. American television culture as a typology of burgeoning conjectural boredom in the banal midwestern suburb of an April evening looking for an "out", or back when even Hollywood seemed glamorous to us bumpkins, and more's the pity

Klemens Brosch - "Lokomotive" (1926)

Alternative archeology and the persistence of an early twentieth century myth: a droll celebration of multi-valent science-fantasy enthusiasm; but would Lovecraft approve?

Inscrutable Packaging Conundrum

I don't know what to make of it. A prohibition against adult participation, grotesque biological renderings of (evidently) sentient beings, the image of a stressed child, multiple labels--the object has no definite name, except perhaps the cryptic "MONSTERS" scrawled in some horrific font across the top of the package...

 

An innocuous package, or something else?

What does "#139" mean?

On-demand dementia, or something worse?

What are their pronouns?

Do they appear angry and confused?

The child appears stressed: PTSD, ADHD, schizophrenia, or some combination?

Yet another product title.  What is it?

On the surface of the object the designation reads "Space Orb." And mark that curious eye!

Is she seeking to frighten the grown-ups?

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died – (591)

                 Emily Dickinson

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air -
Between the Heaves of Storm -
 
The Eyes around - had wrung them dry -
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset - when the King
Be witnessed - in the Room -
 
I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable - and then it was
There interposed a Fly -
 
With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz -
Between the light - and me -
And then the Windows failed - and then
I could not see to see –

"the Heaves of Storm" -- Such language. Is this how a little girl thinks poets emote?

"when the King/be witnessed in the room" - Ah, transgressive punk Emily shocks the grown-ups with profane musings. Get ready, grown-ups, rather than Jesus, the FLY is coming instead!  

"...and then it was..." etc.  Reading this for my students, I like to suddenly slow the cadence and narrow my eyes as I pronounce, "there interposed a fly."  Each syllable is fraught with diabolism that Milton's Satan might, erm, envy.

"...stumbling buzz" alliterates with the th in then, the "s" in windows and, after a fashion, the "s" in see (x2), which is anyway rhyming with Between/me/see/see, and so on.  Emphasizing the buzzing sounds is fun when teaching the poem, and (one wonders) presents an opportunity to act like a nut before a group of young people. Even more fun is concluding on this irreverent note: 

"The poem might be vaguely unwholesome if it wasn't so silly."

Emily Dickinson

Ambrose Bierce - Shapes Of Clay (1903) - with art by Herman Scheffauer

Collection of poems. Cover designed by Herman Scheffauer.

More of Scheffauer's images:

The Infant in the News Sheet

 

The Hollow Head of Mars

View The Hollow Head of Mars HERE.

John Locke, Analytic Philosopher

Vague and insignificant forms of speech, and abuse of language, have so long passed for mysteries of science; and hard and misapplied words, with little or no meaning, have, by prescription, such a right to be mistaken for deep learning and height of speculation, that it will not be easy to persuade either those who speak or those who hear them, that they are but the covers of ignorance, and hindrance of true knowledge. To break in upon the sanctuary of vanity and ignorance will be, I suppose, some service to human understanding; though so few are apt to think they deceive or are deceived in the use of words; or that the language of the sect they are of has any faults in it which ought to be examined or corrected, that I hope I shall be pardoned if I have in the Third Book* dwelt long on this subject, and endeavoured to make it so plain, that neither the inveterateness of the mischief, nor the prevalency of the fashion, shall be any excuse for those who will not take care about the meaning of their own words, and will not suffer the significancy of their expressions to be inquired into.

John Locke – An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, “The Epistle to the Reader, § 7.

*In the Third Book Locke presents his remarks on the accurate and the confused use of language, where he describes how the misuse of language leads to conceptual confusion and philosophical credulity, key concerns in Twentieth (and Twenty-First) Century Analytic Philosophy.

Ravi Shankar Three Ragas 1956

Experimental Bricolage Dysfunction Formatting Frustration Procedure Mark I

 

   

  

1) lacking a coefficient of highbrow value, or 2) aesthetic meditation sans aesthetic meaning?

Joan Miró – Passage of the Divine Bird, 1941

CBC's Man Alive

Leo Rampen (whose art portfolio in Emanations Zen was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize) was the executive producer of the CBC program Man Alive from 1967 to 1979.

Here is the introduction to the first episode, which aired in 1967:

From Blaine Allan's CBC Television Series, 1952-1982:

Man Alive

Here is CBC television's weekly inquiry into issues of faith, commitment, and contemporary life took its title from St. Irenaeus, the second century Bishop of Lyons, who wrote, "The glory of God is man fully alive." The fact that the phrase, "Man alive" appears more popularly as an expletive suggests the down-to-earth pertinence of the program's approach. In fact, a Maclean's review called Man Alive "An irreverent new approach to religion" (December l967). Catchy headlines can misrepresent the show, however. Man Alive grew out of the wake of Vatican II and the movement toward ecumenism in the 1960s. Although it has maintained a vigilant and critical attitude toward the church, it has generally reflected its sense of self-criticism and reform and its growing social commitment. As the program went to air, the CBC's assistant supervisor of religious programming, Rev. Brian Freeland cautioned, "We are not a public relations department for the churches of Canada," and executive producer Leo Rampen added, "Nor are we seeking the benediction of the churches."

Since its premiere in 1967, Man Alive has built a reputation for adventurous public affairs programming. The show and its host since the beginning, Roy Bonisteel, have shared images of credibility and integrity. The program's producers have been rewarded with a consistent and loyal audience and the show's consequent longevity.

 

Man Alive resulted in part from the expansion of the CBC's Religious Broadcasts department. Personnel for previous programs, such as Heritage (q.v.) had come from the network's regional production centres. In 1967 Rampen, formerly producer of Take Thirty, headed a team that included veteran producers who had worked on such public affairs shows as The Other Eye and This Hour Has Seven Days. Originally in a magazine format, Man Alive reflected the public affairs training of its producers, and covered such subjects as current bills in Parliament that dealt with questions of divorce, capital punishment, and abortion; the recent Synod of Bishops in Rome; Billy Graham's rally at the CNE Stadium in Toronto; and the cult of exorcism. The program employed both filmed documentaries and studio discussions in its inquiries. In the 1970s, the producers decreased the studio-bound programs and tended more toward documentary investigations and filmed interviews.

 

The program started in a Sunday afternoon time slot, where it was followed by Hymn Sing, itself a popular and long-running series. After two seasons, Man Alive moved into prime time on a weeknight, where it became less strictly associated with religious programming. In fact, it was North America's only prime time offering devoted to issues of religion. It remained in that time slot, with little variation, until 1979, when it moved to Tuesdays. Repeat broadcasts, sometimes under the title, The Best Of Man Alive, have turned up on Sunday afternoons during summer seasons and in the regular season.

 

Producers of Man Alive have included David Ruskin (l967-68), John Ryan (l967-68), Garth Goddard (l968), Terry Thompson (l968-69), Sam Levene (l969-7l), Louise Lore (l970-l979), John McGreevy (l970-75), Sig Gerber (l973-77), Tim Bentley (l974-78), Rosalind Farber (l974-75), Wayne Thompson (l978-date), Catherine Smalley (l978-date). Executive producers have been Leo Rampen (l967-77, 1978-79), Sig Gerber (l977), and Louise Lore (l979-date).

 

See also Roy Bonisteel, In Search of Man Alive, Toronto: Collins, 1980.

Source

Today as in 1964, there is no shortage of exciting projects!

A tight and regimented cartouche from Kandinsky

"Drawing for Dot and Line on Plan"
V. Kandinsky, 1925
(Pencils & Ink - 38.6 x 30.8cm)
Pompidou Centre, Paris

Starship Space Warp Sub-Dimensional Trans-Light Wormhole Interstellar Voyage Control Simulator (please use with caution)

Note: For best results, click the first image and use the tabs at the bottom of the screen to toggle between space data displays and space warp sub-dimensional trans-light wormhole controls. Bon voyage!