Hello Everyone:
IT'S SHOWTIME at THE VIOLETHOUR
THURSDAY DECeMBER 10, 2009
DOORS OPEN AT 6PM
225 West Santa Fe Ave, Fullerton, 92832
714-441-1504
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MIKE'S MADE SANGRIA
CANDACE is MAKING GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES
ANDREW MARKS STARTS PLAYING PIANO AT 7PM. GENERAL MAYHEM WILL LIKELY FOLLOW SOON AFTER
and if that's not enough,
THE TEN SESSION (JAZZ JAM) FOLLOWS at 10PM WITH DAVE KURTZ AND MIKE SELFRIDGE AT THE HELM
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AND THE ART .....
Candace and I were fortunate to be able to take advantage of her Flight Attendant benefits and make a quick trip to Munich last month. That trip is the inspiration for the Art we've been creating this past month.
1.
MUNICH:
The Travel itself was a mixture of laughter, folly, history, philosophy ... and the Back Street Boys. Our daughter Micki is on tour with them. So, in a span of 48 hours, we saw the Back Street Boys at the Zenith Cultural Hall, walked the Old City Centre and got some great ideas of where we could've gone if we had more time. We had such a great time, I've put it all in an 80 page book called THIS IS US. We'll have the book in the studio and we'll have selected images from the booked on display. You can view the entire book by clicking here.
2.
Munich was not only the 'capital' of Jewish Germany, Munich was also the birthplace of the the Nazi Movement. Hitler, who was an artist himself, despised Modern Art, and not so much because he felt it a 'Jewish Conspiracy'; but because he believed that Art should support and exalt the values of the Nation. Modern Art all over the world was seen by many as elitist, self-serving, morally corrupt and simply incomprehensible. Even today, many people who, if shown, the works that Hitler would deem 'degenerate' , would agree with him. We universally associate the name 'Hitler' with 'Evil' and we do so without much thought or debate. And we also universally ask ourselves, "how could a nation allow such a Man to come to Power?" and "how could a Nation allow such atrocities to occur under their very eyes, ears and noses?" But universally, not many people know the Hitler before World War Two began. Hitler manipulated peoples fears, focusing the light to further his own aims ... the States Aims. Artists deemed 'degenerate' were removed from their teaching positions, not allowed to show their work; and, in some cases, artists were banned from even making art. Modern Art, which itself was a reflection of the ongoing social and scientific evolution of the time was not embraced by many of the Power Elites across the globe, because Modern Art made people think. And it was not to the advantage of every government to have its citizens thinking freely and independently of the Central Authority. Hitler's actions (in respect to the Degenerates) may appear to have been bold and brazen; but I wonder how many governments, how many politicians, then and today, secretly admired (and still admire) his actions. Hitler's rise to power was not shocking. Rather, it was admired by more than we now care to admit. Now, look at how we treat art and artists today, especially in these tough economic times. Are we encouraging free thought and creativity? Are we afraid of what we don't like or don't wish to see? Do we secretly wish the State would ban certain topics and conversations and even people from our educational systems? Perhaps, one way we can keep ourselves from repeating history, is to allow open and free examination of history, how we interpret it, and what it means to us today, individually and collectively.
To this end, I offer my own
INTERPRETATIONS OF DEGENERACY
3.
SELF INTROSPECTION
Following the trail of the Degenerates ultimately leads to Self Introspection. How easy it is to comment on the Failings of Others, on the Ills of Society, on the Greed of those in power. But at some point, such a journey always leads to Self. to the Ego. To the Id. To the 'I'. Such is a journey I have been on. And journeys of self-introspection are not always pretty, nor happy ... nor desired to be shared. But if the artist is to be socially relevant and if the aim of said 'art' is to fan the flames of creative thought, tolerance and free expression, then should the artist not be willing to risk the labels and sanctions others might impose?
And so, to compliment my 'Interpretations of Degeneracy', I present the 'proof pages' of a book I will be sending to the Publisher next week. Perhaps it will be called, 'FAILINGS, ILLS and GREED' , told through the eyes of my youngest daughter Holly on a trip into Los Angeles we took last year on December 23 ... a metaphor itself, as Victoria Dailey would say. "Their elders had looked to nature as inspiration and subject; these new artists (modernists) looked to the forces within nature." Daily would go on to say that, "It has been suppose that modernism was a complete break with the past, but only in its outward manifestations was it different, for it still had the same messianic desire to teach the truth, to reveal the essence of nature and to heal through art."
4.
THE AWAKENING OF M
"Artistic Photography requires both a clarity and a philosophy of vision combined with a thorough knowledge of the mechanics of the medium." These words, written by Michael Dawson, but words that actually are intended to be spoken by Arthur Miller, art critic for the Los Angeles Times during the late 20's, echo throughout my soul. My teacher, Al Divito, of Fullerton College, himself a student of both Ansel Adams and Brett Weston, practiced these words, and by practice, I mean Al printed only full frame. Ed Weston himself did just this ... no retouching, no cropping, no enlarging ... all in pursuit of the search "to refine and expand the clarity of vision."
So you can imagine my disappointment (in self) when Candace, made the comment a few days after my posting them, that the images of Melissa were boring. I had to put aside the anger because there simply wasn't time, not today. These images resonated with me. Why hadn't they with Candace. What was I missing? Was it in fact my strict allegiance to the practice of full frame printing. Was I so caught up in the dogma of the Gods, that I was not allowing myself to see, let alone evolve? I went back to the series of image shot over a year ago during the summer of 2008. And I cropped. I enlarged. I dodged and burned and looked deep inside highlight and shadow. And when Candace saw some of the prints, she commented favorably and when I told her they were the same ones she didn't like the day before, she said, "Oh, I didn't recognize it."
And that's when it hit me, like an apple falling from a tree ... it's not important where I came from, of what lineage I can trace my artistic roots to; nor is it important where I shall be tomorrow, for what is important is now. Here. And what it is I wish to say.
I want to say. I am here to say.
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So why not come by tomorrow and see what we are up to.
I must admit that my idea of a 'private club' sounded good on paper; but it's application has been a failure. Not that failing is bad; failing certainly establishes the lower end of the bar. The bar could probably drop a bit lower still, but we'll leave it where it is at for now. What does this all mean?
Candace and I are still going to host events filled with music, art and conversation ... the experience will continue to be one of participation and immersion.
The events will still be considered 'private', however, we will not be setting up any kind of monthly membership fee. We'll have Sangria, Coffee and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. You can bring in your favorite beverage and we'll pour it for you. If you want to give us a donation, we'll happily and gratefully accept, as will our musicians and poets and other performers. And there'll be plenty of art to purchase, all of which we can matt and frame for you - and if you're so inclined, we can photograph you, sometime during the evening; or privately, personally. This is History we are making.
And you can be a part of it.
The Modernist Movement within Los Angeles continues to evolve just as science and society evolve.
Come join us.
Tomorrow night.
Thursday, Dec 11
Doors open 6pm.
Music starts at 7pm.
Directions-more info ...
click here
Cherry Blossom Pink
In this hand I hold Movement
and in this hand I hold Evolution
Inside me I keep Perception
--
Buddah in line at the Shibuya Train Station at 5:00 PM on Friday.
Reintroduced to the Wild Orangatang meets Me in the Forest
Let the Right One In
Do You Know Which Way is Up?
Add a new category…-
Larry Salzman, Dave Goldberg, Duane Allen and Leo Coronado on the Theramin - Soundtracks, Landscapes and Atmospheres
Charlie Visnic on the Modulating Synthesizer
Opening Monologue (Socialist Utopian History and Philiosophy) - Random Guy that Walked in
Quiet Guy - His Friend
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.
You are Closer than You Think.
To Changing the Way You See.
You are Closer than You Think.
Change the Way You See.
•
Your time is coming
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I Fell into You
I Fell in You
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So Much More
So Much More
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