How to enjoy art like a pro

Article: The insiders' guide to the art

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/oct/17/insider-guide-to-arts

 

The way to enjoy art is simple. The less you know, the better your experience.

Are you one of those people who walk into an art gallery or a museum wanting to appreciate art but got nothing in the end? If your answer is Yes, this article is for you. Many people are interested in art but are afraid to admit it because they are intimidated by art. This article is of great help to those who would like to grasp the deepest meaning of great paintings, perceive classical musicals with a playwright's perception and gain insights into the artists' creative process.

The article begins with a few questions that everyone might have asked when they look at an art object or watch an art performance. 'How long should you look at a painting for?' and 'Where are the best seats for ballet?' are common questions that arise in people's mind when they are in an art gallery or a theatre. Knowing that Charlotte Rampling and Richard Eyre are some of those who share their tips in the article has certainly attracted my attention. Most people in the English speaking world know the names of the British-French actress and the English director or are admirers of their works.

It is an excellent way to divide the article into separate parts that focus on specific areas. Each of these paragraphs follows a question that demands an answer. The answer is then, provided by an expert in that particular field with an explanation and sometimes, a sharing of their personal experience.



'Merging heads' from the Love, Loss & Intimacy Exhibition, National Gallery of Victoria, July 2010.
How would you  perceive the meaning of this painting?


I like the answer from Jennifer Higgie when asked what the best way to enjoy an exhibition is. She thinks rain is useful and a rainy weather makes it the perfect day for introspection. Is it a good time to do self-observation and reporting of your conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations in front of a collection of artefacts on a day with heavy downpour? You may not agree with her idea, but it is a point that worth considering next time when you visit the museum.  

From the optimum way to appreciate architecture to the best way to experience  movies, the article provides useful advice from critics, curators, artists, practitioners and professionals, whose expertise helps in the pursue of the enhancement in the readers' enjoyment of the art.

Other sources:
http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mweb/ways.asp


Photo courtesy of:
(cartoon) http://www.i-italy.org/15214/how-enjoy-art-pro
Blogger's photo collection ('Merging heads') - taken in the National Gallery of Victoria, July 9, 2010

We are all potential models

Article: He's snapped Gaga and Britney, now he wants you
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/hes-snapped-gaga-and-britney-now-he-wants-you-20101008-16bet.html



One of David LaChappelle's best known shots with Madonna.



We have seen the shot of Madonna knelt scantily clad in front of a spray-painted dragon, and a naked Kurt Cobain lying dead over his wife Courtney Love. Celebrity photographer , David LaChapelle, who is famous for his extravagant pictures of megastars like Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie and David Beckham, is coming to Australia. You might ask if there is anything to do with you. The answer is Yes. The US fashion snapper is turning his lens towards more ordinary people on his debut visit to Australia.

The writer has drawn the readers' attention in the first paragraph by telling us that LaChapelle is staging his first public shoots in Melbourne and Sydney and is inviting volunteers for it. According to a quote from LaChapelle, he is looking for a diverse group of people ranging from kids to elderly and all people in between. His aim is to find a cross-section of people regardless of their age, body shape and their dressing style. The shooting is part of a Nokia street promotion where LaChapelle will use its latest camera phone to capture the urban society at specially designed outdoor sets in the two cities.

 

David LaChappelle's shoot with Lady Gaga. Do you consider it eye candy?



LaCapelle is famed for his outrageous and somewhat indulgent photos of superstars and celebrities. As seen in the shoots he did for Lady Gaga, his works are interesting, a little bizarre, and extremely creative. Now the controversial artist is urging people to come to the public shoot as they are. In his words, he said he was not expecting people to undress but he would not stop them if they want to. He wants people to be themselves. The article tells us that the shooting will take place in a purpose-built set featuring open doors, windows and peepholes to reveal defining images of each city. That would add a little color to his works but still, the public shoot will have a completely different style compared with his usual works.

The writer has used many quotes to tell the story from LaCapelle's point of view, and concluded by providing a facebook link that will feature the pictures taken. For those who are interested in the shoot (even if they do not take part in it) are encouraged to follow up the story on facebook. This is a good way to engage the readers as social media is by far the most powerful tool to spread ideas and messages across a diverse audience.

Other sources:

http://www.bandt.com.au/news/one-green-bean-wins-nokia-smartphone-brief

Photo courtesy of:

http://www.celebritysmackblog.com/2009/12/21/lady-gagas-david-lachappelle-photo-shoot/

The Hands of Twilight

Article: 'Crazy' Twilight hand model pitches for movie part
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/crazy-twilight-hand-model-pitches-for-movie-part-20101005-164sz.html

Almost everyone knows the story of the world famous Twilight series. A human girl met a vampire who was in love with her but thirsted for her blood. The idea of Twilight came to the author in a dream on June 2, 2003 and she immediately transformed the memories of her dream into writing. I found it fascinating. We all dream, but how many of us will put the idea in our dreams into a piece of writing? This is why I always look at the author's biography before I start reading a book. The education background and personal life often affect the choice of topics and shape a writer's writing style.

Kimbra Hickey's famous hands on the Twilight cover.

Here comes a question. Who cares about the book cover? A cover that captures the readers' attention is a good one. What about the story behind the cover image? I doubt if many readers are interested to know. When I first saw this article and the still image of the video, I thought it is all about the books or perhaps the movies. To my surprise, it is about the story on the hand model, Kimbra Hickey, whose digits were featured on the cover of the phenomenally successful Twilight novels.

Hickey's hands are the ones holding a red apple on the mega-bestseller’s cover, which was described by her as 'a major exposure for her hands'. According to Hickey, doing the pose correctly was a big challenge. The article has included direct quotes from Hickey on the brief from the photographer at the Twilight book cover shoot in 2004. Her hands had to look soft, sweet, and death-like all at the same time. It seems that Hickey was not very happy with the $310 she received for her apple-cupping expertise - the industry standard for two hours of work. Hickey has been doing many things to attract public attention on her being the 'hand model'. She carries around a Gala apple in her purse at times so she can recreate the pose for anyone who might know her. She stops anyone she sees reading the book to inform them of her contribution, and what's more,  she is contacting the casting director for the fourth instalment in the Twilight series and try to break into acting.


Kimbra Hickey wants some recognition for her role in the Twilight phenomenon.


Is the shooting of Hickey's hands anything to do with acting? I see no relation between the two. As told by Hickey, she would be happy even if the movie only includes her hands in it. What sort of fame will she gain if her hands have a role in the movie? I have no clue. There are many direct quotes in the article to show Hickey's desire for fame and her frustration on not being known and recognized by her effort. From the things she said, I think she is just crazy. 'Loony' is her name online and it is well put.


I particularly like the headline of this article - 'Crazy' Twilight hand model pitches for movie part’. In a short sentence, the readers get a picture of a crazy act done by crazy woman. The word ‘crazy’ is in quotation marks, meaning that it is solely an opinion of the writer, though I believe it is agreed by most of us.



Other sources:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/twilight-model-kimbra-hickey-wants-hands-on-glory/story-fn3dxity-1225933642093


Photo courtesy of:
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html
http://www.twilightlexicon.com/2009/02/24/interview-with-kimbra-hickey-the-hands-of-twilight/