Sub-ject » Arts & Culture

Performance Art Platform Tel Aviv

jeff — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:10:00 +0000

The city of Tel Aviv offers so many unusual opportunities to connect with global culture. The history of the place informs many of the cultural activities, and its themes are apparent in the work of nearly all the contemporary artists. With the labor and dedication of Performance Art Platform , locals and visitors are able to see some very original new art work by some of the most challenging young artists of the times.

The focus here is on interdisciplinary art. This is not a brand new trend, but it’s one that’s been gaining some rather serious momentum across the globe. The impetus is on taking all the available art forms in order to create work that speaks to a contemporary audience. In this respect, it’s a very utilitarian approach, where the artist has all they need at their disposal, and they can use the disciplines that they see fit for the creation of their own conceptions of reality.

The audiences can include locals and residents from nearby locations, as well as visitors staying at Tel Aviv hotels . The work is always challenging and provocative, and created with the intention of inspiring thought and dialogue. Here, the artists serve as a conscience of their time, asking important questions, and revealing their answers with a remarkable lucidity and strong sense of innovation.

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Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco

jeff — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

At one point or another, people like to remember a simpler time when all that adults expected of you were to read the comic section of the local newspaper. Today, comics are much more complicated than they used to be, expanding from comic strips to graphic novels and anime. No matter where you live or visit today, in the outlying suburbs or the five star hotels in San Francisco , it’s possible to revisit that past by traveling to the Yerba Buena cultural district in Chinatown.

The Cartoon Art Museum contains over 6,000 works of original, cartoon, and animation art, as well as a comprehensive research library and five galleries of exhibitions. The museum holds book signings, lectures, class and workshops in cartooning, and provides the opportunity for people to mix with professional and aspiring cartoonists. The idea behind this museum is to preserve and document the cartoon art form. It sponsors traveling exhibits and artists-in-residence as well as other outreach programs, with an emphasis on cultural diversity and the vital nature of self-expression.

In fact, this particular art museum is the only one in the western United States that’s dedicated to preserve and exhibit cartoon art. It began in 1984, when cartoon art enthusiasts organized exhibitions with work from their own collections. In those early years, the organization was considered a museum without walls, putting up shows in other museums and corporate spaces. However, in 1987, the museum was granted an endowment from the creator of “Peanuts”, Charles M. Schulz, which allowed the enthusiasts a permanent home, producing 20 publications and over 100 exhibitions.

Currently, visitors may find an exhibition through September 19th on “Sixty Years of Beetle Bailey, a Tribute to Mort Walker.” The strip first appeared in September of 1950 and grew to have more than 200 million readers each day in over 1,800 newspapers around the world.

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The Focus on Art in Portland

jeff — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:15:58 +0000

Many people I know are moving en masse, to Portland, Oregon. The city is known for the “green” culture, from organic coffee shops to restaurants of the best Portland hotels serving only dishes made with ingredients that were grown close to home, of course all organic and free range. I have yet to visit this American city, so I spend a lot of time googling about it and looking up various points of interest, which for me means looking up the arts festivals and markets, the galleries and the museums.

One of the aspects of the city that I had not known before, and the one that I dig the most, is the dedication, the devotion and the support of the arts. Creative and outlandish, beautiful and amazing things are happening in the culture and the artistic scene. This development has taken place over the last few years, making Portland not only a destination for American travelers, but for international tourists as well. The knowledge and the tradition of the older artists has fostered a new generation of innovative creativity. The young artists of Portland are garnering attention from the rest of the world, for their work, and for the institutions and the schools of the city.

There are more than one hundred and fifty art galleries and many museums throughout the city, as well as a grassroots downtown cultural district…the Pearl District. This is a neighborhood full of warehouse studio spaces and it gives people the opportunity to totally immerse themselves in the artistic way of living. Many more neighborhoods on the East side of the city are following suit of the Pearl, and the art scene has quite literally exploded.

For those wishing to further their studies and their careers, this is the place to be to find classes and connections. And for those just visiting, the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the future famous artists of America, is an opportunity that must not be missed. There are many festivals and open studio walks that occur throughout the year, so anytime you happen to be in Portland, is a great time to see the art, to experience the art, and to live the art.

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Angie Seah in Singapore

jeff — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:50:42 +0000

When you’re looking to be dazzled by a fantastic combination of urban culture and local flavor, Singapore is one of the most exciting places in the world. There are so many varieties of experience to be had here, and so many cultures existing in one space at one time, that there is always something new to see. This is true for Singapore from moment to moment, and for outsiders visiting this city state, there is an even more spectacular experience of the every day. It is always rich and vibrant, and always fascinating. Many of the world views that exist here come from different cultures and languages, and many of the views come from the unique modernity that only the most cosmopolitan places experience. Singapore is unique in world culture, and it always seems to be just a step ahead of most every global phenomenon.

One place to get in touch with Singapore in luscious style is through the cuisine. There are many different varieties of food offered here, representing the cultural influences of the people that make up the place. And because of its status as a major port, there is a magnificent selection if you happen to be looking for a seafood restaurant. The best of these will offer a splendid mix of traditional techniques with amazing innovations. This is also true for the art here. There are a stunning number of excellent performance artists making up the new generation of practitioners, and one of the locals worth looking out for is Angie Seah Yeng Fong.

She was born here in 1979, and educated here and in Australia. This spectacular artist has performed all over the world, including the Philippines, Switzerland, Poland, and Romania. Her poetry has been published in Transylvania, and her visual art is also exhibited widely. Her works are each enormously complex pieces of a larger puzzle, and when viewed together in context, reveal more puzzles to be solved. The mystery and the splendid thing here is that there is a sense that they are entirely unsolvable, and only hint at a world even more complex and compelling than their beckoning surfaces suggest.

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Young Artists Visit Fort Wayne Museum of Art

jeff — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:35:12 +0000

Troy and Gustav were both painters who had recently graduated from college with art degrees. There final project was a joint installation piece that had been picked up by a local gallery and was featured in one of the city’s recent first Friday downtown art events. They both felt good about the work and thought that the future was in the palm of their hands. They were ready to take on the art world, one painting at a time. That summer Troy received an invitation from his favorite Aunt Sally to visit her on her ranch about an hour outside of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He loved the idea and immediately responded to confirm. He asked if it would be all right if he brought his good friend Gustav with him as the two would like to work on a project while they were there. His aunt, who herself was sculpture and had turned a barn into her own work studio, was pleased with the idea and immediately extended the invitation.

The three of them had a great time that summer and spent a good deal of the trip working in Sally’s barn studio. They also wanted to visit some sights in Fort Wayne and as a graduation gift, Aunt Sally paid for them to stay in one of the hotels Fort Wayne over the weekend. She didn’t go with them, though she did let them borrow her car for the trip. Gustav and Troy went immediately to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. They headed directly to the permanent collection, which out of habit was what they did whenever they visited a museum for the first time, even when they were their for a specific exhibit. From there they toured the Impressionist works of Louis W. Bonsib. Gustav was a fan of Impressionism and felt that it was a true path to capturing the soul of a particular place or person and representing it on canvas or another medium. They paintings they saw that day inspired them for their next collaboration piece, which was based on the geographic elements of Indiana.

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Museums of Barcelona

jeff — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:07:21 +0000

Barcelona, Spain is a global city that is incredibly rich in its cultural heritage as well as the contemporary arts. It has amazing architecture and its buildings represent various eras and design genres. It also has some great museums including the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, The Picasso Museum and Fundacio Joan Miro. The latter two are dedicated to the specific artists that are named and they contain great works from them, though they also include exhibits and collections by others.

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia was opened in 1990 and is located in the Palau Nacional, which was built for the 1929 World’s Fair. The building itself is an incredible feat in aesthetics. It is a comprehensive art museum and features collections from the Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque periods among others. The building that houses this museum was the original location for the Museu d’Art de Catalunya, which opened in 1934. This museum was closed down however during the Spanish Civil War.

The Fundacio Joan Miro is a museum of modern art. This is a comprehensive museum and even the building itself is representative of modern design. There is a special section devoted to the displaying the work of you artists. It also contains a library and auditorium. The Picasso Museum is one of the most popular museums with tourists who visit the city and are staying in one of the Barcelona boutique hotels. The museum is an incredible complex of medieval palaces located in the city’s La Ribera. It opened in 1963 and contains many works that were donated by Pablo Picasso himself. There are over three thousand five hundred works that are included in the museum’s permanent collection. Of the items Picasso donated, there are approximately one thousand items that include school books and personal study items as well as paintings from his Blue Period.

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Sheffield Town Hall

jeff — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:58:31 +0000

Sheffield England derived its name from the River Sheaf that runs through the city. In addition the city is located near the confluence of five rivers, which makes it a rather fluid and metropolitan area with lots of energy, charm and great scenic views. Another interesting environmental aspect of the city is that it has more trees per person than any other city in Europe. These elements help to keep a natural atmosphere and conservational aspect to Sheffield.

Tourists who visit the city and stay in one of the Sheffield hotels will almost always make a visit to the Sheffield Town Hall an essential priority. While this might sound like a rather odd tourist destination, once one has been able to see the wonder of the architecture of the building complex and surrounding Peace Gardens, it makes perfect sense. The building and gardens are awe inspiring and a wonder to look at. It is interesting that during the construction of this building, which occurred from 1890 to 1897, that certain social elements criticized it for its expensive elaborate embellishments. These same features attract numerous visitors every year and have helped to make it one of the city’s iconic structures.

The building was designed by the architect E. W. Mountford, who was based in London and had already achieved a successful career. There was an extension to the building added in 1923 and this was designed by F. E. P. Edwards. The official opening of the gates to the Hall occurred in May of 1897 and was attended to by the Queen herself. There was a coordinated effort that made it appear the gates opened when Queen Victoria made use of remote device in her carriage. This is a common symbolic act and it granted an immediate prestige to the building.

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Macau Tower

jeff — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:05:16 +0000

Macau has an interesting place in Chinese history. It was both the first and last location for European colonization. It was settled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and final occupational administration did not end until December 20th of 1999. It is actually one of the richest cities in the world due to its thriving industries in toys, electronics and tactile. It is also an extremely popular tourist destination, and many travelers enjoy the luxury accommodations provided by the 5 star hotels Macau. The city has many landmarks that serve as more than cultural heritage aspects. Places like the Macau Tower are also thriving entertainment centers.

The Tower is also known as the Macau Sky Tower and is part of the Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. It is over 1,100 feet tall and includes an observation deck that offers panoramic views of the beautiful city. It was designed by the architectural firm Craig Craig Moller. The idea for it was inspired by the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand, when Macau billionaire Stanley Ho Hung-Sun visited the country and was awed by its tower. There are many interesting aspects to this iconic tower and some of them include theatres, shopping malls and restaurants. It also is home to the Sky Walk, which is an extremely thrilling and dynamic walk around the outer rim of the tower.

The Tower is a member of World Federation of Great Towers. There have been many unique and interesting events that have taken place at the Tower and it remains to be one of Macau’s major buildings. World-renowned bungee jumper AJ Hackett established a jump at 233 meters. It is situated on the tower’s outer rim and is the highest bungee jump in the world. In addition to all of its entertainment aspects, the tower is also used as broadcasting base and for telecommunications.

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Phuket is More Than A Beautiful Island

jeff — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:01:04 +0000

Phuket is the largest island off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea and is approximately the size of Singapore. Phuket City is the capital. The island is connected to the mainland by a heavily traveled bridge. This was a major trading route between India and China years ago when tin and rubber were prime sources of income for Phuket. Now tourism is the highest contribution to this island’s income. In December 2004 major damage occurred on the west coast beaches from a tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. However, by Feb, 2005 many businesses had reopened and were welcoming tourists once again. Throughout 2005, there was a steady recovery and now all damage has been restored and tourism is once again in full swing.

There are numerous beaches along Phuket’s coastline, offering many enjoyable activities. The most popular beach is Hat Patong and also happens to be the most developed. Water sports of course play a huge role in the attraction for this beach. You can wind surf, snorkel, swim, sail and of course just sunbathe. Or, how about an elephant ride? But if you are looking for other forms of excitement, the nightlife offers hopping bars and nightclubs with the sounds of loud music, laughter and dazzling lights drifting out on the serene beaches, enticing passersby to enter and join in the merriment. Hat Karon is the second largest beach attraction for tourists. It has a large resort development for your comfort, however the long beach itself has not been developed. Another very popular tourist attraction is the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Conservation Development Extension Centre. It was created for the preservation, development and protection of wildlife, some of which would be extinct if not for this protection. The Conservation Centre is located within the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Park. You will also have the opportunity to see the virgin forests, giant trees and abundant, lush vegetation.

If you prefer, you can stay within the city limits, select one of the many five star hotels Phuket has to offer and let yourself be pampered and spoiled by the hospitable and friendly staff. Your choices are numerous, your comfort priority. While staying in the city and you like thrills and excitement, you will have the chance to experience the boisterous nightlife with the many beer bars, go go bars, disco bars where you can party the night away. Or you might opt for one of the quiet piano bars. If shopping is your thing, there is plenty of that available. You will find streets lined with market stalls filled with handcrafted items, jewelry, clothes, toys-anything you might want for souvenirs. The hustle and bustle, new sights and sounds, smells of cooking food and engaged conversations is excitement in itself. And what would a vacation be without trying the native food? Seafood dishes are very popular and can be found in simple little roadside huts or you can dine in luxury in an elegant restaurant. Whatever your pleasure, whatever your likes, you will not be disappointed and you will take a little of Phuket home with you.

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Sculpture Garden of the Singapore River

jeff — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:35:42 +0000

Many who walk along the banks of the Singapore River for the first time, may get some unexpected surprises. Along these banks are sculptures, the work of various local Singaporean artists. Some of the sculptures are abstract, and some, as the pieces that make up the series, “People of the River” are life-sized and so realistic that they are known to cause those passing by to do a double-take. The single series is the work of self-taught Singapore sculptor, Chong Fah Cheong . His goal was to illustrate a history of the people of Singapore who made their living along the banks of this River. The pieces sit amongst the skyscrapers and the five star hotels. Singapore government funded the open-air sculpture garden, and the contrast between the life on the river so illustrated by the sculptures, is made a bit more poignant, as the sculptures convey the history of the once small fishing village, and the bustling city as a backdrop serves to enhance just how far the city has come.

Chong Fah Cheong is known for his many different public works displayed throughout the entire city. He has worked with various styles of sculpture, figurative as well as abstract, but with the completion of the River series, his name is now synonymous with those works of his along the river. Chong was born in Singapore. His father was a medical doctor and the head of a very large family. Chong had shown an early talent for art, and had started to sketch ideas and draw by the age of four. He continued to stand out for his artistic abilities in grammar school, however he did not fare so well in the other subjects of academics. He decided to leave school when he’d finished the tenth grade. He studied at the Lasalle Brothers, St. Joseph’s Institute, and entered training there to become a missionary teacher. He lived a cloistered life during those seven years, and then left to teach in Malaysia. But returned to Singapore just one year later. It was then, in 2001, he received the commission that would change his life. His 3,700 sculpture in Jade, was installed at the House of Tan Yeok Nee, outside in the courtyard. And now, the “People of the River” draw those from far and wide to catch a glimpse and to photograph this self-taught artist’s genius.

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