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Archive for the ‘Art’ Category

Los Angeles is one of the most exciting cities in the world.  In terms of cultures, languages, and ideas, it rivals New York, and its history is equally as complex and fascinating, if not more so, because of its specific location on the other coast, a few hours from the Mexican border.  There are always an amazing variety of events happening in town, and one of the greatest difficulties for visitors is making the decision about what to do.  There are always a dozen excellent options.  The other challenge, of course, is the traffic, because the city is huge, and it’s often a little bit interesting to get from one neighborhood to another.

One of the ways around this, of course, if you’re visiting to see certain events, is to find a cheap Los Angeles hotel that’s near all the things you want to see.  They say that nobody walks in L.A., but once you’re in a neighborhood, you see an awful lot of people walking.  If you’re interested in Chicana art, and know what Zapatismo is about, then by all means, try to time your visit to one of the moments when Mujeres de Maiz is presenting one of their events.

This Xicana artists collective began in 1997, as a zine where women of color could find and share ideas of culture, politics, action, and art, in a forum that is very community-based, and extremely savvy.  Over the years, they’ve evolved into a much larger collective.  Felicia Montes and Claudio Mercado began it as a place for women on L.A.s eastside, but its grown far beyond even the borders of Los Angeles.  They produce performances every four months, and it’s worth looking into, because some of the most exciting performance and visual artists working today have fascinating connections to this necessary collective.

In 1996, I made my way to New York City for the first time.  I was there for just about three weeks, and spent just about every other day, wondering through the rooms and the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This was one of the first major art museums I had been in, and after years of looking at the photos of the famous paintings, to see them on the walls, just a few inches in front of my face was overwhelming and breathtaking.  I was lucky at the time, as one of my favorite painters and draftsman was being presented in one of the halls.

A retrospective on the works of Toulouse-Lautrec presented rows of this man’s work, his carnival dancers and nightclub clowns.  I did not know at the time, that Lautrec was not one of the starving artists of Montmarte, he was born and lived his life as an aristocrat, but found the backstage arenas of the Paris cabarets a much more interesting, and inspiring place to hang out.  Lautrec died before the age of forty, but he produced an enormous body of work, which is now currently on exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Lautrec had a wicked eye, in the most respectful sense of the word, capturing caricature like images of the performers, images that with minimal detail conveyed a bit of a sadness in the madness of life in that arena.  He, along with some of his contemporaries such as  Edouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard, transformed the world of the poster, and many of their techniques are being mimicked and copied to this day.  Check yourself into a Boston hotel in the coming months, and stop by the Museum, not only for the Lautrec show, but for the other wonderful exhibits that will be running through the rest of the winter, spring and summer seasons.

There is something about Singapore that’s singularly exciting, and it’s certainly related to the very cosmopolitan culture that is formed here.  It’s a fascinating place, and its history as a major trading port is evident not only in the mix of cultures in Singapore, but in the wide availability of fresh ingredients.  This makes it a food lover’s paradise, as there is something for everyone, and whatever is on the menu is always fresh.  It also means that chefs can easily find many different flavors and extras that would be impossible to get in other places.  This makes it more simple to follow culinary traditions, using the exactly right ingredients, but also simple to innovate, where there is so much to choose from.  The history of the Chinese in Singapore is very complex and long, and Chinese restaurants here are some of the finest in the world.

It’s a wonderful way to begin an evening out on the town, or to begin a day.  There are plenty of restaurants offering fantastic variations of cooking, and at each one you will surely find something you love.  You will very likely leave here with several new favorite treats.  While you are on the town, you may also enjoy looking at the local art, as there are some of the world’s most accomplish artists doing their work here.  If you like brush painting, then it would be a good idea to keep an eye out for works by Ang Cheng Chye.

Born in 1954, this painter has exhibited all over the island, and has works shown in all parts of the world.  He has won multiple awards, and has a very illustrious history, having studied with some of the other greats in Chinese brush painting techniques.  One of his great passions, and contributions, is without a doubt his teaching.  He mentors new students constantly, passing along knowledge and inspirations, in order to continue to heighten culture in Singapore, and to keep this art alive.