newyorkisartsyfartsy

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Final Exam

Question #2 Gone but Not Forgotten

The Beastie Boys and MCA Forever

Since High School, the Beastie Boys has been one of my favorite rap groups.

When I was in high school, my musical taste began to stray away from the pop hits the short playlist of chart toppers that streamed all day on 96.7 Kiss FM (the pop radio station in Austin) and I started to explore more obscure, indie music that my friends liked and older music. Both of my parents, my dad especially, have always been old school hip hop fans. When I finally joined Instagram (my dad was on it before I was), he would tag me in or DM me photos of artists who I should check out, like Mos Def, LL Cool J, and Run-DMC. At first, I resisted. But eventually I gave it a try. Run-DMC was the first group I got into, and I really liked the simple beat of the music and their cool style (I am actually wearing the Superstar adidas that I bought in high school). But eventually, because of their collaboration with the group in the mid-‘80s, I eventually ran into the Beastie Boys, one of my favorite groups to this day.

 I have gone through a series of phases of obsession with certain artists throughout my lifetime in which I watch all of the artists’ music videos, listen to each of their albums in order, and buy various t-shirts of the artist, and I definitely had a Beastie Boys phase. I liked that the group, Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, and the late Adam “MCA” Yauch, did not take things to seriously, their music was fun, if sometimes problematic. I liked their IDGAF attitude, that was very much the opposite of my self-conscious self in high school. And I liked that their music dipped into the genre-bending and experimental realm. Since the group started out as a rock band, each album usually had a rock song or at least one that combined rock and rap, like the anthem “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” on their first album “Liscensed to Ill.” And “Paul’s Boutique,” although it sounds like a conglomeration of sounds with its various samples, seamlessly blends one song into the next, and I have to listen to it in order every time. I was not yet a Beastie Boys fan when Yauch died in 2012, but the first summer that I spent in New York City for an extended period of time, visiting Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn Heights was on my to-do list.

 _____________________________________________________________________ Question 3 The Significance of Wesley Morris’ “The Last Taboo” 

Morris combines historical context and personal essay to critique the 2016 film “Moonlight.” 

 “The Last Taboo” by Wesley Morris, published in the New York Times, is a piece of criticism that made me think about the role of the critic and offered a new perspective on what a piece of criticism should look like. In this critique, Morris uses the black penis as a motif to explain the ways in which the depiction of black male sexuality in film has changed over time, how it affected him as a gay, black man, and how we eventually got to see a film like Barry Jenkins’ Academy Awarad winning film, “Moonlight.” 

 The main thing that makes Morris’ critique effective is his use of context. Before getting into the history of the depiction of black male sexuality in films, he begins the piece by discussing more modern depictions of or representations of male sexuality in modern films and television shows, like “Ted 2” and the HBO series “The Night Of,” comparing and contrasting the way that these shows and films depict the sexualities of black men versus white men. Then he goes into the introduction of and racist history of black men in mainstream film and TV in “Birth of a Nation” and he goes into explaining the significance of Blaxploitation films. So before Morris gets into the main work that he critiques, the reader has a clear idea of where he is coming from, why what he is talking about is important, and because one of the main points of his critique is explaining how we got to seeing a film like “Moonlight,” he shows the reader exactly how by laying going through all of the context.

 Towards the end of the essay, Morris talks about “Moonlight” and the importance of Jenkins’ nuanced depiction of, the main character of the film, Chiron’s sexuality in the movie. And then at the very end of the critique, Morris gets into the personal piece of the essay and provides a personal anecdote that sums up how the depiction of black male sexuality affected him growing up and why “Moonlight” and this topic matter to him. Morris’ piece made me reevaluate the role of the critic and the importance of the critic’s point of view. Not only is the critic able to display their response to and opinions on a piece of art, but why the piece of art matters to them specifically and most importantly, why they are writing about it.

 _____________________________________________________________________ Fun (but serious!) 1: Thundercat’s “Walkin’” is a Futuristic Bop 

 “Walkin’” from Thundercat’s 2011 album, “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” has an old school beat with more futuristic sounding instruments thrown on top of it with upbeat lyrics sung by Thundercat himself, Stephen Lee Bruner. 

 The song begins with the drum beat and then, a guitar with what sounds like effects pedals begins and Bruner sings, “When it’s just you and me, there’s no place I’d rather be.” And the repetitive lyrics throughout sound like a love song that a 1960s boy band like the Beatles sang at the time. The song, only about two minutes long, is short and sweet, like a walk down the block with a friend on a nice day. 

 The song’s music video was produced as seemingly simply as the song itself. It looks as if Bruner and some friends stepped outside their front door with a digital camera on a sunny day, took some footage, and put it together with Windows Movie Maker. In it, Bruner walks down a suburban sidewalk with a girl, both in matching glasses and t-shirts as some weird things go on around them, a zombie offers them snacks, and a guy in a wizard beard blows bubbles with faces in them. The greatest Blockbuster effect of the video occurs at the end, when a friend shoots lasers out of his eyes, blows up another guy’s head, and then Bruner and his laser-eyed friend go for a high five which ends in an explosion.

 _____________________________________________________________________

Fun (but serious!) 2: Arts, Culture, and Fashion Criticism 

 What sticks out to me on the worksheet and its summation of my interests now and in the past, is how much my interests growing up affected me as a writer/critic. In my personal essay on “Mean Girls,” I think I wrote that in high school, my friends and I were pretentious and purposefully listened to music, watched movies and TV shows, and liked things that went against the norm of what everyone else at school liked. I also remember that we used to discuss the arts and culture that we consumed as if we were critics as well (i.e. why we thought the Arctic Monkeys were a better group than One Direction.) So I didn’t realize it at the time, but now I have realized that I was beginning to form opinions on and think about the music I liked in a critical way, even though I thought sometimes that perhaps we were a bit too opinionated. 

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Arts & Culture Final

By: Courtney Tapper

Taylor Swift is Stuck in the Past

Taylor Swift’s repetitious song themes and outdated female perspectives render her unfavorable.

           First it was “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me”. Then it was “Forever & Always” and “Fifteen”. Then, “Mine” and “The Story Of Us”. Song after song. Boy after boy. Relationship after relationship. For her first few songs, the music of Taylor Swift was catchy and it felt relatable as an average girly middle school-aged teen. Now, I think it’s outdated. While there will always be songs about relationships and break ups and heart ache, I just think there is more to not only music but life, than just how sad a boy made you feel.

           Starting her music career as a country artist, Taylor Swift immediately did not appeal to me. As one who thinks country music is generally very redundant in terms of instrumental usage, song topics, and the voices of various country artists, Swift did not stand out to me.

           Then, as she started to gain success in the pop genre, I began to hear her more often whether it was on the radio, shopping in stores, or my friends’ 16thbirthday parties. But the constant, “woe is me” attitude that permeates a majority of her music simply could not resonate with me as enjoyable or influential.

           In “This Love”, Swift sings about a love that she has never felt before and how this bond is the strongest she has ever known. That alone, can create a great piece of music. It’s real, has passion, and it’s something people can relate to. But lyrics like “Lanterns burning, flickered in the mind only you/But you were still gone, gone, gone/Been losing grip, on sinking ships/You showed up, just in time” imply that she was completely consumed by this one person and him “showing up just in time” is what saved her from a potential life of misery. While love can definitely be all consuming and life can seem miserable without the person you love, I don’t exactly feel that the message she is trying to portray is admirable.

           The idea that you were about to crumble before the man finally stepped in and swooped you off your feet just shows that her happiness relied heavily on the reciprocated love of her partner. Which I don’t think is healthy in any sort of relationship. Particularly, in a world where women are still being treated as less than to men (in numerous ways) and are constantly having to prove that they are equal, a song like this just really sets back the work women are doing to become independent and powerful beings. Many of her songs share similar storylines to this one where the man holds the power, which frankly just do not work in favor of the progression of women.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw&list=PL1CbxROoA2JiVzg9zu_AkVHZR9S8mHhzh

Question #2:

Influence Beyond Music

Bob Marley’s popularity in the reggae community enables him to show his strengths in other areas

Growing up in a Jamaican family, it’s pretty much impossible to listen to music in the house without hearing Bob Marley at some point. As one of main artists who brought reggae into mainstream popularity, Bob Marley truly has made a name for himself in the music community. Creating the Wailers (a music group comprised of Marley and his friends) he was able to become one of the most beloved artists of the reggae genre.

           Marley’s childhood friend, nicknamed “Bunny” inspired Marley to learn how to play the guitar, as they both shared a love for music. The two ended up living together some time later in Kingston, Jamaica. Arriving in Kingston in the late 1950s, Marley lived in Trench Town, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. He struggled in poverty, but he found inspiration in the music around him. Trench Town had a number of successful local performers and was considered the “Motown of Jamaica”. Marley liked, and found influence from, such artists as Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and the Drifters.

           The first time I heard Bob Marley I was at my grandparents’ house. I always recognized his voice since it was his music that was played the most out of the reggae artists they would listen to. But the first song that caught my attention was one of his more popular songs, “Three Little Birds”. The song brought such peace and joy to my family because of its positive lyricism. Lyrics like “Don’t worry about a thing/Cause every little thing is gonna be alright” reminded us that no matter what struggled we were going through, worrying is not a solution and everything in fact will be alright. Between the relaxed vibes that reggae often gives off already, with such a carefree and easygoing message, this song would bring peace all around.

           One of my favorite songs as a kid “Buffalo Soldier”, while it has the same catchy and relaxed essence of his other songs. The meaning behind this song brings light to a major issue. When I was younger, I had no idea what a buffalo soldier. As I grew older and decided to do research, I learned that these were a segregated regiment of black cavalry fighters during the American campaign to rid the West of "Indians" so that colonizers could take the lands from Native Americans. Ironically, many of the soldiers were slaves taken from Africa.

           While Bob Marley unfortunately passed away in 1981 from cancer that quickly spread throughout his body, his legacy lives on. While Bob Marley’s musical strides have influenced my taste in music, I also have been impacted by his actions of peace. His organization, the Bob Marley Foundation, is a great example of his devotion to helping others, especially those from developing nations. In June of 1978, he was awarded Peace Medal of the Third World from the United Nations. Also, in February of 1981, he was awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit. His philosophies as a man of peace and equality are characteristics that I not only admired, but that I strive to exude today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMUQMSXLlHM

Fun But Serious #1

Music with a Message

During the music unit of the semester, we spoke about what makes good music, what makes it successful, and what makes certain music appeal to certain people. Personally, I have always loved music that makes me feel something. If the music itself doesn’t make me feel a certain way but the lyrics do, I’ll probably like it. If the lyrics don’t really make me feel a certain way but the music does, I’ll probably like it. If the music and the lyrics both make me feel something, then I’ll probably love it.

           That’s exactly what “We the People…” by A Tribe Called Quest, does for me. It has both. From a musical standpoint the rap song has a consistent drum beat in the background, creating a sort of style and momentum that makes me enjoy it right off the bat. The song also takes time to completely syncopate the tempo in which catches you by surprise and then throws you right back into the same rhythm that you became comfortable with. The sound of what one can presume to be police sirens during the song, also creates an atmosphere of context and setting as to where this type of music is taking place – which for me created a musical experience that is much more wholesome.

           As for lyricism, the song is very political. As a commentary on society and the numerous inequalities that can be found just about anywhere, the creative boundaries of this song are definitely pushed in the best way. With lines like, “All you Black folks, you must go/All you Mexicans, you must go/And all you poor folks, you must go/Muslims and gays/Boy, we hate your ways/So all you bad folks, you must go,” many different marginalized groups are recognized in this song. It leaves you thinking, “can they say that?” or “was that too far?” Song like this, that is so brutally truthful they can make people, is the epitome of art to me. With an ironic title like “We the People”, the group starts by mocking the very the document that our society is based on and proceeds to explain how the ideas of it are not being followed and how times have drastically changed.

Fun But Serious #1

Growth in Knowledge of Reporting on Arts & Culture

           At the start of the semester, I was very much under the impression that I did not know much about the arts and culture world. In terms of reporting, I was very unfamiliar as to how to go about that sort of reporting style, but I was much more familiar with the arts than I believed. In terms of music, I have a pretty interesting view of what makes good music where I’m not completely stuck on one group, artist or genre. I think my variety in music taste worked to my benefit in that unit.

As for film and television my knowledge was definitely lacking, as I truly have not seen many recent films of television programs. When I consume visual media, it is often through YouTube, Netflix, or it is an older film that I had seen before. Being able to be introduced to films in class that are more recent, I was able to see the growth in the film industry and was convinced that there are some movies I would love to see.

           As for theater, I have always had a love of theater and other performing arts. Having a class where I was required to see a show was not only fun but also very educational. I was able to enjoy a production that I wanted to see, but then was able to look at it in a different way with the tools that I had learned and analyze it from a more educated lens.

           Overall, I think arts and culture reporting was a medium that I always enjoyed reading but never thought I would write about. But during this semester, I’ve been able to learn a lot more about what it takes to write in that specific medium and that it is something I might be interested in writing about for the future. The semester has made writing about arts and culture more tangible and less of a sort of unrealistic stretch.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

By: Kiersten Wood

By: Kiersten Wood

Question 1: Bieber Fever Spreads the Plague

Justin Bieber Epitomizes the Rising Generations’ Vices with His Single “Love Yourself”

A terrible song comes crashing down on the radio every month, with pop-sensations living their two and a half minutes of fame of grocery store speakers and car stereos. Soon, the next pop star rolls around as the newbie in the industry. That’s tolerable. But what isn’t tolerable is the incessant repetition of poorly written music matched with equally poor soundtracks that play far past their prime. And just like that, there’s no escape. Canadian pop-star Justin Bieber checks this box for his most irritating hit “Love Yourself” from his Purpose album.

For six consecutive weeks, “Love Yourself”  maintained its standing as number one song. Not only was the repetitive playing of the song isn’t its only flaw. The semi-acoustic (and unoriginal) sound is matched with his rudimentary lyrics filled with contempt that neglect to fully pursue his self-awareness. One line of the song could be taken out of the song and anyone would have trouble differentiating it from that of a mediocre second-grader’s diary scribbles: “My mama don't like you and she likes everyone.” Has the artisan of songwriting been boiled down so greatly that this inane line is accepted, even praised?

Moreover, the song lyrics actually convey a misogynistic message, which is a theme seemingly overlooked by the self designated “Beliebers” out there. Towards the end of his song, he sings, “if you like the way you look that much/ Oh baby you should go and love yourself.” Is it unacceptable for a woman to feel good about herself in Justin’s presence? A woman should be encourage to feel confident in her own skin, but according to Justin, that would just mean hurting his fragile ego. He also justified breaking up with the unnamed ex-lover for disagreeing with him: “every time you told me my opinion was wrong.” First Amendment right, Justin. Is he spreading androcentric ideas that alpha-men determine a one-sided relationship, where the woman lacks self-love and a valid opinion? I can’t help to this this is the case, especially as I watch little girls and boys humming to his songs on the radio.

Topped with this is his inexcusable misogynistic behavior. Like that time when Justin decided to mock female gym-goers by spitting in one woman’s water bottle, and telling the woman to leave the gym and “shut the f*** up” every time her rep hit 20. Or, when he graffitied   sexist and racist content in Rio. Overall, Justin Bieber lacks the high moral ground and maturity that the younger generation should be idolizing.

Question 2: Homophobia in the 1960’s Theater

Stanley Kauffmann’s “Homosexual Drama and Its Disguises” Exposes the Malice of Prejudice

In 1966, Stanley Kauffmann rose as one of the most influential members of the theater community: the daily drama critic at the New York Times. Published on January 23, 1966, his piece “Homosexual Drama and Its Disguises” argued that gay playwrights were unfit to write about anything outside the realm of gayness, which he actually goes as far to call a “psychological illness.” Saturated with homophobic language (calling homosexually a “neurosis” and an abnormality compared the to “normal” viewers), this essay is tinged with odious prejudice and malicious stereotypes. This piece is homophobic through and through. But it’s also massively impactful. Vital in understanding the trajectory of our past, Kauffmann’s language and stance is nothing short of upsetting, which was unfortunately a common acceptated bias. He notes that modern gay-centric theater was “equally neurotic, equally undesirable socially,” aiming directly at writers Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and William Inge.

Kauffmann had no idea what was to come. Only two years following his publication, “The Boys in the Band” (written by Mart Crowley) wowed audiences, serving as a groundbreaking play on gay men in theater. With urgency, “The Boys in the Band” gave a voice to the severely underrepresented community of homosexual men, fueling a gay movement that spread beautifully through the world of the performing arts (1993 “Angels in America” and 1995 “Jeffrey”). By exposing the homophobic thought of the media, Kauffmann triggered the backlash against homophobia. Without his critical-and devastatingly offensive-eye, the homophobic whispers and silent stares of disgust might not have surfaced in the same far-reaching way. And in response, this critique had the ability to set flame to the fight for equal rights.

The history of gay-bashing is a part of our historical national narrative. We can’t erase it because that would mean neglecting to see the vices of our past. It stands as a warning that close mindedness hsa insidious effects. And this criticism forces readers now to think about how homosexuality was the normative culture, how it was culturally accepted to shun those who are different. Inadvertently, Kauffmann’s criticism exposed the erosion of human values that brought the question of equality to the surface.

Question 3: Celestial Beauty of “The Moon Song” by Scarlett Johansson

Breathy voice. Single ukulele. Profound lyrics. Everything about Scarlett Johansson’s song, from film Her, makes you float above ground, on a cloud “a million miles away.” Listening to this song evokes a feeling of safety and escape that much of the overproduced, over-hyped music of today’s culture grazes over. It’s simply you and the song.

Lulling you to a state of utter peace and contentment, the short piece has you swaying to Johansson's graceful vocals. In merely fifteen lines, you’re taken on the journey from a “dark” place to a beautiful escape “a million miles away” with the person you love. The lack of description of said person leaves the listener to fill the picture, leaving room for you to image the whoever would make you feel loved, and that everything will be okay. She sings: “with you my dear, I’m safe and we’re a million miles away.” She transports you to a mental state of bliss with whoever you hold dear. Personally, this song reminds me distinctly of the kinds of songs my grandmother used to sing to me throughout my childhood. Whenever I was ill or couldn’t sleep, she’d whisper lullabies with the same tenderness as Johansson’s “Moon Song.”

Question 4: Changing Times: Favorite Musical Artists Change

Seasons changed. Days got shorter. Leaves fell. A lot has changed since the semester began, and for me, that includes my taste in music. On my “Let’s Get Acquainted” worksheet, I listed my favorite musical artist as Ben Howard. I probably haven’t listened to Ben Howard since writing that. Interestingly, though, my love of “unique and authentic” has remained, as my new favorite artist was actually introduced in class: Billie Eilish. Her writing is reflective of current topics, including cultural critiques in a myriad of her songs. One such song is the “idontwannabeyouanymore” single that exposed the destructive impacts of unattainable beauty ideals.

From Ben Howard’s folk/indie rock, to Eillish’s alternative pop/electronica, the style of music has changed drastically. Eilish has also resonated with me more so than Howard, possibly because she’s a young artist who sings about real life problems that many women face: body dysmorphia, beauty standards, public scrutiny. Filling out the sheet now, I would have paid homage to the pop-prodigy that brought tears to my eyes upon hearing “Ocean Eyes.” I would have praised the star’s willingness to put her reputation at risk in order to make a statement about oversexualizing women in the music industry (wearing sweatpants in music video for “idontwannabeyouanymore”). Billie Eilish has effectively made it to my list of top artists, occupying a new place in my heart.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

by Kate Riley

Question #2: Gone but Not Forgotten

Aretha Franklin: Her Spirit Lives on Through Living Room Dance Parties

My grandmother raised my mom and her sister on a diet of Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, The Stylistics, and Aretha Franklin. My mom then raised my sister and me on the same diet. Aretha was queen in my house. When you hear her voice coming from the speaker, it is a call to report to the living room for a very intense dance party. My mom and my sister, both singers, sing right along with the record. I sing too just not as well. We all dance. No matter what we are doing or where we are in the house, none of us can resist the call of “Chain of Fools,” or “Baby, I Love You.”

I don’t remember the first time I was exposed to Aretha Franklin, she just has always been. I was singing “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” when I was five.

Because of the huge presence she had during my childhood and the impact she has had on my family, I was taken aback when I heard about her death and I wasn’t heartbroken. It took me awhile to figure out why. I remember the first time I saw a picture of Aretha Franklin that wasn’t on one of my mom’s old albums when I was maybe 10 or 11, and I didn’t recognize her because she had aged since the 1970s. In my head, Aretha was never a real human who was walking around somewhere on earth. She was a deep and rich and mesmerizing voice that came out of my mom’s record player. She was some other magical being with a beehive hairdo smiling at me over a yellow-green feathery collar. She was young and she glowed. I didn’t consider that she was an actual person let alone that she would age like one.

I am 21 now, and understand that everybody ages. I know that the voices that come out of the radio and speakers have people attached to them. At least I thought I did until I heard that Aretha had passed away. I was shocked to realize that she was still a mystical, celestial being in my head; a voice and album art. I still don’t think that it has hit me that she has passed away, and I’m not sure if it will.

To me, Aretha Franklin means three generations of women in my family dancing and singing and feeling strong, happy, warm, and utterly at peace. It sounds strange, but she is a feeling and an energy, a memory with the ladies in my family more than she is a person in my brain.

The Aretha living room parties have not stopped but are definitely less frequent now that my sister and I no longer live at home. If they were to stop, that to me would be the greatest blow. It’s almost if I have convinced myself that we three are keeping her alive through dance parties.

Question #3: Turn Down for What?! Criticism.

Reviewing Reviews: Jon Caramanica’s Review of Frank Ocean is Effective and Important

Jon Carmanica’s review of Frank Ocean’s 2011 concert at the Bowery Ballroom combines an impressive array of adjectives and modifiers, points of reference, and background on the artist to paint a picture of not only the show, but who Ocean might become as a musician.

The review uses language like “prickly, bubbly space-soul” and “harmonious and affecting conflation of music and love,” to not only demonstrate to the reader the type of sound Ocean has created on his mixtape, but also somehow the emotions that that sound affects in the listener. Carmanica also makes references to other artists and genres to provide a more concrete context for those that don’t understand “prickly, bubbly space-pop.” He is “Maxwell-esque” and has a “Sam Cooke ache.” This balance allows most readers, whether they have a broader knowledge of music or not, to place Ocean somewhere amongst the music they do know. They now have an idea of his sound.

This review, which is very positive, was also written at the very beginning of Frank Ocean’s rise to the top, probably propelling him forward quite a bit. Readers of the New York Times were most likely not yet aware of the artist who released his first mixtape to Tumblr. A glowing review in the New York Times for an unknown or little known artist acts as a propellor, pushing the subject of the critique into further success and recognition. Criticism can act as a powerful tool to give credit where credit is due (and perhaps not yet being given).

This review shows the power and the importance of art criticism. Art is a form of communication, an attempt at understanding the human experience more deeply, the beginning of a conversation. Art critique is a response. It continues the conversation, makes us think more deeply still not only about the art itself but the statement the art is trying to make. Was the statement effective? Could it be better communicated? How can we deepen the ideas?

Carmanica’s use of language also highlights criticism as an art within itself. “Prickly bubbly” is melodic, poetic. He created something beautiful and separate from the thing which he was critiquing to begin with. His command of language is artistic.

Fun (but serious!) #1: Blood Orange’s “Jewelry” Explores Insecurity, Hope, and his own Blackness

In this song off of his 2018 album titled “Negro Swan,” Dev Hynes performs a soulful and emotional song in several parts. The ideas he is communicating are complicated: the feeling of not being welcome in a space and occupying it anyway unapologetically, struggling with self-love, the anxieties of people of color, and holding on to hope. Generally songs that have several parts (this one leaps from spoken word to almost choral singing to rap and back again) feel disjointed to me. I have trouble following the whole song or grasping the larger concept the artist had. Hynes however, does it seamlessly.

Beyond the content of the lyrics, this song would be a pleasure to listen to if I didn’t understand any of the words. The rhythm of the spoken word that opens the song meshes with horns that become the voices in the choral portion that ends abruptly to make way for the next chapter. The rap portion of the song features Hynes deep and rich voice speaking over a beat that is somehow round and hypnotizing. This beat slowly becomes more and more melodic, transitioning into singing again. The song is an experience, almost ethereal, and one can almost glean meaning and the emotional journey Hynes takes through the music alone.

I sent this song to my sister as soon as it was over so that she could experience what I had experienced, and I think that says something about the emotional force of this song.

Fun (but serious!) #2: Maybe I Don’t Hate Writing After All 

What sticks out to me most on the sheet is the first section in which I explain my interest in the class. In it I say that I am a Journalism major with an interest in the arts, and I would like to be able to combine my interests, learning to write about what I love. What I did not say on the paper but what I was feeling at the time was a frustration with journalism and with writing in general. My interest in the class was a final effort to prove to myself I didn’t pick the wrong major.

I am someone who has always been told that I can write and so I have pursued writing. However I did not take into consideration when declaring my major what a torturous process writing is for me. My true interests have always been in the arts, and so I took this class in the hopes that I would find some aspect of writing that I would enjoy. Writing about things that I (at the time) would rather be doing seemed like my best bet.  

This semester, being able to choose my favorite songs, movies, and exhibits that I am interested in, I may have found what I was looking for. It’s still a laborious process for me but I have realized that the amount I struggled writing other things in the past did not necessarily come from the act of writing itself. It came from writing about things I didn’t care about, things that were boring to me. It was writing about Cinema Paradiso that made me change my mind about writing. My Italian major is something I was always confident in and realizing I could combine the two was a revelation that allowed me to regain some of my lost hope. Not only have I been reminded that I can enjoy writing, but I have learned to develop new appreciation for the art forms I love by examining them more closely and in a different way.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Arts and Culture Final Exam

Question #1:

Katy Perry: A Popstar with Dim Lyrics 

Katy Perry is one of the biggest singers of our generation, however, her lyrics and devotion to authenticity is proving otherwise.

By: Madeline Bozzi                

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RMQksXpQSk

Gone are the days of Katy Perry’s youthful and female empowering smash hits that garnered several Grammy nominations. Singing lyrics such as “I kissed a girl and I liked it” and “You don’t have to feel like a waste of space/ you’re original, cannot be replaced,” Katy Perry once inspired her predominately pre-teen fans to be unapologetically themselves, her lyrics rather socially advanced for the early 2010s.

However, over the last five years, her music has been on a steady decline, losing all meaning and offending the masses. As fans have grown up with her, she has seemed to redefine the term “bubblegum music,” for, as she now has more successful female pop stars as competition, Katy Perry has adopted a fake persona, or as she has claimed “Honestly, I'm just masquerading as a pop star." In a time in which art is so raw and is meant to heal any given individual’s darkest wounds, Katy Perry, especially with her last studio album entitled “Witness,” has created music that objectively means nothing, which may be why her work absolutely flopped in the charts. In her song, “Chained to the Rhythm,” Perry attempts to make claims about society, which during the time of its release in 2017, was plagued by racial tension and political turmoil in the United States following the Presidential election. She talks about how the majority of our country is so far removed from difficulty or hardship that they often are not even willing to try to understand other perspectives. Saying “Aren't you lonely/ Up there in utopia/ Where nothing will ever be enough?” she seemingly places all blame on white individuals who are not plagued by the issue of police brutality.

If Perry would like to create music in which she makes broad assumptions about an entire race, including her own, she has to be more educated and honest in her approach. For, these are the ways in which the country has been divided, by mega-celebrities, including herself, making blanket statements that are meant to offend and point fingers. In this song, besides the idea of dancing, no solutions were mentioned in unifying our society. In fact, Katy Perry has repeatedly come under fire in her career for racially insensitive comments about former President Barack Obama, as well as for her several stints with cultural appropriation; for example, in her 2013 “This Is How We Do” music video, Perry” Katy Perry tries to play to African American stereotypes, her hair in corn rows while eating fried chicken and watermelon (link to clip above).

Not only are her songs politically insensitive and infuriating, but they are also shallow and meant to gain publicity through her desperate craving for a celebrity feud. After her one-sided public disagreement with Taylor Swift, Katy Perry released the song that she thought would be the best redemption hit of all time “Swish Swish.” Her lyrics, predictably enough, repeat the lines “Swish Swish Bish/ Another One in the Basket/ Can’t Touch This/ Another One in the Casket.” As the highest paid female musician in 2018, according to Forbes, these lyrics are reprehnsible. She could have sung about a fallen friendship, however, she chose to play into the long established stereotype of catty girl fights. These lyrics were quite meaningless and simply will not stand the test of time, unlike her other female musicians like Beyoncé or Britney Spears.

Katy Perry has become one of the worst musicians of our generation as she has abandoned all care for the arts and instead is focused on her reputation, all of her songs catering to the image she wants to uphold at any given time. As a young girl, I listened to Katy Perry relentlessly in the car, however, now, she is not even played on the radio. Perry has been through such heartache and relatable life experiences, including divorce and death, that are not being conveyed in her songs. It is time to give an up-and-coming artist their chance to connect with the world and show a more authentic portrayal of true hardship.

Question #3:

Gay Theater: A History that Has Become the Future

Jesse Green’s well-crafted article “A Brief History of Gay Theatre in Three Acts” demonstrates the importance of criticism to an evolving society.

By Madeline Bozzi

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/26/t-magazine/gay-theater-history-boys-in-the-band.html

Critics, specifically art critics, are the liaison between the art itself and the individual who is either about to see the work or wants to in the future. It has to be justified, informative, thought-provoking, and slightly imitational of the art itself. Since not everyone is located in the mecca of the art world, New York City, art critics serve as a sort of cultural teacher as to the big social movements that are occurring in the world.

That is exactly what Jesse Green achieved in his New York Times piece “A Brief History of Gay Theatre in Three Acts.” This long form article was widely effective as it discussed the rise of theater that highlights the life of a gay individual. Green provides great insight into the original Off-Broadway show “The Boys in the Band” that premiered in 1968, just one year before the Stonewall riots. Through this piece and his emphasis on the individual thoughts of the characters themselves, many of whom continued to stay in the closet during the running of the show, it is clear that the wave and necessity for gay representation in popular entertainment was taking off. Jesse described the show as being “ghetto,” which further articulates the point that no one really knew how to react to this completely different style of theater.

He then uses the AIDS epidemic as a historical marker for the rise of gay theater. Jesse utilizes the rise of other shows also based on homosexual relationships and compares them based on their effectiveness and elevation of the gay community. He notes that some shows regretfully played to the stereotypical image and promiscuity of gay people, which actually hurt their reputation with lawmakers during the time, while others, including “The Normal Hearth” saved lives as it served as a positive public service announcement that scared audiences into making healthy decisions amidst the AIDS epidemic. These comparisons served as a great cultural critique of not only the way the AIDS epidemic was handled in society, but also how the arts addressed it.

Then, author Jesse Green makes a statement full of weight that calls for immediate attention, which is that gay communities, more than any other minority, need this representation in the arts. He uses the fact that gay individuals do not grow up in a gay household to articulate this point. Green’s criticism breeds importance and relevance even today, as this is still true; his work stands the test of time whilst informing of a society that was seemingly far behind that of the 2000s.

Jesse Green then concluded his article with arguably one of the most important parts of criticism: how will this matter in the future? As he notes, gay shaming is still a very real and despicable attribute to society. However, the arts are still working to dispel these longstanding discriminatory notions. Particularly, as he concludes “A Brief History of Gay Theatre in Three Acts” in 2019, the first black gay male play will open on Broadway.

Jesse Green successfully uses the four tenants of criticism, which are interpretation, context, description, and evaluation to chronicle the importance of gay theater and its past, present, and future trajectory. By providing the emotions and historical context of the time, Green showed that this phenomenon is not too different from today, which is why his article is still valuable. As a critic, he achieved his goal: to inform of art that will transcend time and encourage a shift for a more accepting and inclusive medium.

Fun, but serious #1:

“Crazy”: The Joy Of Praise  

Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” is a colorful R&B track that beautifully describes the importance of individuality.

It is quite peculiar that I had never heard this song before since it was a huge phenomenon during its time of release in 2006. However, it is quite clear why this song, led by Cee Lo Green, was such as smash hit; it exudes soul and a sense of carelessness.  First, “Crazy” seems to have a rather comedic and sarcastic flare to it, as Green sings “Ha ha ha” in several of the verses.

The message behind the song is why, since listening to it following a presentation in “Arts and Cultural Reporting” I have fallen in love. It encourages everyone to lose their minds, even describing a world of simplicity and full of standards as “unpleasant.” Specifically, when hearing the lyrics “My heroes had the heart/ To lose their lives out on a limb/ And all I remember, is thinking/ I wanna be like them,” I was brought to a rather personal place, thinking of my father and grandfather who both served in the Navy for eight years each. It is quite rare that popular culture, specifically music, alludes to the active service men and women in our country. While these lyrics immediately reminded me of the veterans in my life, I appreciate that they can also apply to the various other heroes in other listener’s lives.

Not only are the lyrics soft yet powerful, but so is the melody. Musically, the song is a feel-good track that has a constant beat which progresses the lyrics forward. Green’s voice, which reminds me of old school jazz, in contrary to the manufactured pop voices that are widely displayed today, gives “Crazy” an even tamer sound. “Crazy” is a fun song full of inspiration that I will definitely carry with me for my entire life.

Fun but serious #2

Art Reporting: A Craft Involving Natural Talent  

In the worksheet that I filled out in the beginning of this semester, I indicated that my dream career would be as a reporter in the entertainment industry. Although I confidently wrote this, I was not entirely sure of its meaning. Since writing the five reviews for this course, I have realized that I do not necessarily want to write reviews and critiques of various art mediums, for I genuinely do not have a natural knack for music and its meaning, and I am not wholly interested in paintings and artwork. Although shallow, I am more interested in the business and celebrity side of the industry, which accompanies my Economics major.

I now think of arts writing as it should be: reviewing quasi or great art, putting it into context, and having a sort of influence on the public. Although I greatly enjoyed seeing more peculiar shows and art that I would have never otherwise chosen to attend, I do not think I am ready for that responsibility. However, what this class did positively affirm, because I did wholly enjoy writing my pieces, was that I am highly interested in working in this industry in some capacity. There is sense of great freedom and personal expression that comes with arts reporting. It seems much more fulfilling than the previous internships I have had working behind a desk as a data analytics girl for a news company.

This class was the first experience that put me to the test in writing. I loved the challenge and cannot wait to see how it will apply to my future interests.  

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Final Exam - Priska Mohunsingh

Question 1:

The Fall of Katy Perry’s Musical Empire

The pop star struggles to “Rise” after the fall of her career.

By: Priska Mohunsingh

Most of my YouTube covers were from Katy Perry’s third studio album, Teenage Dream. I would follow her on various social media platforms, primarily Twitter at the time. It took nearly a decade of expanding my musical horizons to realize that Katy Perry wasn’t the musician who inspired me to sing.

For Katy Perry, 2010-2012 were her peak years. “California Gurls” was the first song from the album that caught the attention of young pre-teens and teens. In fact, it was all over the radio—I’m sure our parents and grandparents couldn’t escape that song. The piece features another musician who’s career went spiraling down ever since, that is Snoop Dogg. On May 7, 2010, teenagers like me waited for the “California Gurls” music video to drop on YouTube. I couldn’t point out how I felt about the song itself. But the instrumentation was catchy.

She sings:

You could travel the world But nothing comes close To the golden coast Once you party with us You’ll be falling in love

California girls We’re unforgettable Daisy dukes Bikinis on top Sun-kissed skin…

The follow hook and chorus repeat another six times throughout the song, maintaining a consistent idea, background music, image, and idea that California girls are all about being “unforgettable” and “freaky.” Even as an ex-Katy Perry fan, I never listened to that song willingly (because it was playing on the radio 24/7, so I had to).

The next song on that album that peaked on Billboard’s Hot 100 for more than 200 weeks was Perry’s “Teenage Dream” (which, I’m not going to lie—was a bop). “Teenage Dream” gave me hope for her album since “California Gurls” disappointed me. Nonetheless, after listening to the song for over a hundred times I realized something. This. Sounds. Nothing. Different. From. Her. Other. Songs.

Consistency is well respected and given credit to from my behalf however, when every song contains the same, or very similar, chord progression, keys, and beat—music listeners are easily bored. Her music continued to follow a theme even after the conclusion of that album.

On the contrary, “Firework” from the same album, is a piece about self-empowerment and she manages to convey that message through motivational lyrics, a powerful chorus, and music video. It has become a dance-pop anthem for countless today, and remains to be. Songwriters Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Wilhelm, and Ester Dean assisted her with writing the generational-legendary piece.

Following the Teenage Dream album, her music in Prism remained to show less difference in her themes of love and loss of love. Especially because she had recently been devastated from her broken marriage with comedian Russell Brand. She stated that she wanted to “live a little” before releasing any new music worth listening to for her fans and audience (Capital FM). Following her divorce, her music unexpectedly sounded similar to her older music…with a hint of extra pain and emotion in her voice.

Katy Perry tried to make a mark on popular music and could have achieved that goal if she explored more themes and different musical ideas. Her career has not been on a “Rise” even after the release of that piece.

Question 3:

Jon Caramanica’s “Music Is Love, and Love Is Music” is Appreciation, Not Praise

His evaluation of Frank Ocean’s music and performance will you tempted to listen.

Jon Caramanica’s “Music Is Love, and Love Is Music” is a music critique on Frank Ocean’s debut mixtape “nostalgia, Ultra”. It is predominantly a piece that describes the atmosphere and elegance in Ocean’s performance at the Bowery Ballroom. However, Ocean’s artistry and communication with his music and audience is magically explored through Caramanica’s experience and detailed account. He doesn’t fail to point out specific pieces from the album and how the audience received it.

Caramanica first introduces Frank Ocean in his “elegant, savvy, slightly crooked postsoul” who unapologetically sings about love created from music and music created from love. The title may be tricky to comprehend for someone who hasn’t listened to Frank Ocean’s new album. Nonetheless, Caramanica indirectly states why the title is as called. He makes sure to set the scene for the reader so that they will not be confused or mistaken. The immediate implementation of lyrics from Ocean’s “Songs for Women” allows us to see how honest Ocean is with his music and experiences.

Caramanica supports his stance and review on the concert by referencing pieces from the event and lyrics that can be interpreted in two or more ways. He explores such themes and digs deeper into Ocean’s possible meanings by connecting it with previous research he has conducted to better understand the artist. He explores Ocean’s “most harmonious and affecting conflation of music and love” in “Acura Intergurl,” which opens with a soft piano instrumentation with lyrics of unity.

After giving short analyses, descriptions, contexts, and interpretations of the musician’s concert, music, and aura, Caramanica explores the piece he chose to dig deeper on, namely “Acura Inetgurl”. The addition of a focused piece being interpreted and explored by the music critic allows readers like me to better understand how the concert went about. Almost as if I were there watching Frank Ocean perform his new music in a café-like setting.

This piece allows me to immerse myself in the atmosphere and desperately wish that I had attended that concert as well. Caramanica uses the art of interpretation and description, rather than praise, to win the attention of his readers with this piece. The comparison of his music to other artists’ like John Legend and Justin Bieber—who are essentially mainstream—allows readers to wonder “who is Frank Ocean? What does his music sound like?” His underrated music and presence in the industry has been positively exposed and delved into in Caramanica’s piece.

Fun (but serious) #1: Singalong

Louis The Child’s “World on Fire” Is a Wake-up Call to The Future Youth

As soon as the song “World on Fire” started, I made the decision to continue listening rather than skipping it (which I usually do when I listen to my own playlist). The song title grabbed my attention as it sounded powerful. The word “fire” usually correlates with power and control. However, when the soft piano and subtle beats sounded very different from other dance/electronic music I listen to. It sounded very peaceful with the quiet instrumentation and continuous subtlety.

Unlike what I expected, the lyrics and theme of the music conveys carelessness and freedom. Instrumentally, the piece reminds me of “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music. The beat and music are catchy and repetitive, but serene to listen to when trying to calm down or practice something peaceful such as taking a nap or revising notes for a class. Lyrically, Ashe wrote the song because she was “sick of the world making excuses or covering things up because of money” (Genius). This song is a wake-up call for everyone who is covering up social, political, and personal problems with lies and excuses. Because of the constant lies and covering up, we do not actually know what’s going on with the world and what state we are currently in. Instead of “complaining ‘bout the same things,” Ashe sings, “don’t be the same,” hinting that we should start change.

As an aspiring journalist, this song is meaningful to me for various reasons. I am sick and tired of people covering up social and political issues such as Climate Change and sexual assaults. I hope our generation of journalists and civilians in general will take a stand against the constant covering up and get fed up as well. It’s time to reconstruct our society by uncovering the dirty truths life, be it politics or racism that is embedded into our society.

Fun (but serious) #2: Reflection

My Shift in Music Genres This Semester

Looking back at the “Let’s Get Acquainted” worksheet, I notice that a musician I started to listen to isn’t one I am a big fan of anymore. Although I appreciate indie musician, Lauv’s music, I don’t find myself listening to his music as often as I did before. After taking this class and listening to the music recommendations given by my peers, I discovered my love for all kinds of music. This semester, I have grown to listen to a variety of music and am slowly finding my niche in terms of music taste. With the mention of great jazz artists, I found myself creating a new playlist under “happier times” that feature everything from R&B artist Daniel Caesar to Aretha Franklin to late electronic dance music artist, Avicii.

I still believe that the musicians I listened to in the past are driven and hardworking, but I also want to expand my options in music by listening to both underrated and overrated artists in genres I’ve never listened to before.

As for influence on my artistic tastes, I still believe that my vocal teacher from high school has had a great impact on my passion and love for growing in the field of music. However, I have also gotten acquainted with myself this semester and have explored where my urge to listen to new genres like contemporary R&B, jazz, and trip hop stem from. I’ve had the opportunity to grow and learn more about my music tastes by attending live concerts, such as SHAED’s debut album event this semester.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

An Ode to Development

Artists and fans alike are able to be shaped by the music they create and listen to.

By Camryn Smithwick

Question #1

JUSTIN BIEBER WANNABE

A copy-cat of an already despised artist grows up, having explored his sexuality and music niche.

Generic lyrics, whiny voice and with an overly pop artist sound made my ten year old self cringe. Never finding myself on the Justin Bieber bandwagon, it was irritating, to say the least, when another came along. Greyson Chance was a sickeningly sweet prepubescent thirteen year old boy with a sweeping bowl cut and a powerful girly voice. After a video of him singing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at his sixth grade talent show went viral with over 60 million views on YouTube, Greyson became a heartthrob. The video featured Greyson on  a piano, centerstage, singing his heart out while girls in the background can be spotted whispering to each other, their eyes widened in disbelief, mouths widened with that dreamy eyed look. His career ignited when Ellen feature him on her show, although not necessarily positively. Having taken a similar path, voice and style to Justin Bieber lead to much criticism.

Although highly talented, this thirteen year old was no reason to faint over. With lyrics the caliber of his age - ballads professing his love to girls although having clearly never been in a relationship, with peppy, happy-go-lucky melodies that make you vomit into your mouth a little. Songs titled “Sunshine and City lights”, “Leila”, and “You Might be the One” made me roll my eyes, even at ten years old. In his debut “Paparazzi” cover, he changed the words “boy” to “girl”, it is now apparent his sexuality was insecurity at that age. The hair-flipping, pre-teen with lyrics, “please don’t break my heart Cheyenne” was an artist I wanted nothing to be a part of.

Greyson has since grown up (as have I) coming out as gay in the middle of 2018, writing a song about getting high and his journey to becoming twenty-one. His new music has strayed from the pop, fangirl demographic he grew big on, following more of an indie, low-key vibe, his raspy and significantly deeper voice sending chills up and down your spine. Looking back now, his music was a suppression of his sexuality which he has now thankfully been able to accept, becoming the artist, and person, he was supposed to be. The music video for his recent song “Good as Gold” shows one of the most impoverished cities in the United States, the Lakota tribe in Pine Ridge, a community crippled by suicide, genocide and are constantly faced with the threat of losing their culture forever. Growing up with an artist, being able to see a one hundred and eighty degree character shift has inspired me to look constantly within myself for personal growth. The boy so annoyingly innocent has transformed into one of my current favorite artists whose music I proudly play for those who say “isn’t he that Justin Bieber wannabe” when I mention his name.

Question #2

THE QUEEN LIVES ON

Postmortem, Freddie Mercury’s easily recognizable voice and story continue to inspire and take listeners on a whole new experience.

Belting incoherencies that envelope an opera-esque sound is an occurrence that people around the world oddly share. “Queen” is a rock band that has transcended generations, with lyrics of needing love and songs that take you on a journey. Queen has been one of my favorite bands since I was a little girl, seeing the way my dad would enthusiastically play the drums on the car steering wheel and belt his heart out each time one of their songs came on the radio (pretending he wasn’t tone deaf and had any sort of rhythm). Now close to ten years later, almost every car ride we jam out to these same songs together, air guitars, fake microphones and all.

Freddie Mercury was the pinnacle of Queen, his iconic huge jaw and buck teeth gave extra room to his vocal cords, allowing him the unimaginable range that give his tracks another level of storyline. The passion he had for expression gave each song an original sound that was recorded to perfection. By layering multiple tracks and sounds that alternate ears added an unprecedented experience to listening to music. On stage, Freddie was an outstanding performer, his creative outfits and wildly enthusiastic energy were able to transfix the audience, and often make the concert collaborative with them. While performing hit, “We Will Rock You”, at LIVE AID charity concert,  Freddie was able to get the entire Wembley Stadium (100,000 people) in England to stamp and clap along with the song. People across the world have celebrated Freddie Mercury’s musical genius since his life, the Queen spotify account continues to display outstanding statistics, with over thirty-two million average listeners monthly.

Throughout high school, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was an anthem my friends and I would use to alleviate stress and brighten dark times, screaming the lyrics walking through the hallways to class. The movie sharing the same title which was released this year, rekindled old friendships as we all went to the movies to watch a story of life of the man we had bonded over, and have spent countless hours listening to. The catchy upbeat songs have allowed numerous relationships to prosper throughout my life and continue to inspire originality everyday.

Although Freddie Mercury died a tragic young death due to AIDS, his music has been frozen in time, most likely what would have been at the highlight of his career. His albums have become that much more meaningful and celebrated even so long after their release. Freddie was able to creatively outlet his relationship and health struggles in ways that transformed music history. As one of the first stars to die of AIDS, he was able to massively make strides in reducing the stigma around the disease and was able to raise $127 million to help people. Freddie Mercury continues to inspire originality and creativity in me due to his unprecedented career.

Fun (but serious) #1

READING A BOOK BY FIRE

“World on Fire” by Ashe and Louis the Child carries a soft melody that puts the listener in a trance. With a low tempo beat and a females’ soothing voice, the song almost guarantees to soothe you into a deep sleep. Listening to this song reminds me of staying home on a rainy day, on the couch with a novel, hot chocolate and fuzzy blanket. The music creates the feeling of warmth and satisfaction, so the song is perfectly titled. As a relatively new artist, and having seen her live, Ashe has opened my eyes to new music that have almost supernatural relaxing powers that relieve event the largest muscle knots. The jazzy sort of piano throughout the background at the end takes you to a cafe in France where people have no cares in the world. The lyrics also add to this, the chorus “the world could be on fire and we wouldn’t know” shows the carelessness that the artists successfully imposes on the listener.

Fun (but serious) #2

TAYLOR SWIFT AND BILLY JOEL

My “Let’s Get Acquainted” worksheet from the beginning of class is telling of the journey I have experienced in my first semester at college. Dropped off alone in Manhattan, forced to take on all the independence imaginable I was still very much in my sister’s shadow. “My music taste” was influenced by my older sister as I repeatedly stated on the sheet. The past few months were what I needed to explore my own tastes and venture out on my own in the world of the arts. Choosing to leave my comfort zone and take on concerts, museums, and musicals alone have allowed me to establish my own likes in the arts, thankfully facilitated by this class. Being forced to have an original opinion has turned the Billy Joel and Taylor Swift loving girl to one who spends hours searching for hidden artists on Spotify and $10 weeknight shows in the back of bars.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Arts and Culture Reporting Final Exam

By: Eliza Peppel

Question #1:

Carl Andre’s Lack of Artistic Individuality

American sculptor Carl Andre (b. 1935) is well known for his minimalist, geometric pieces. To me, these peieces are not only visually unimpressive, but lack any sort of meaning, depth, or originality. They tend to do close to nothing for the eye, and while Andre claims he tries “desperately in a world of replicas to produce things that are not replicas of anything” (quote from 1972), his pieces are reminiscent of sidewalks, flooring, or simple cubic shapes. Even he seems to, at times, be aware of when he falls short, saying, during the construction of his piece The Last Ladder, “I realized the wood was better before I cut it, than after. I did not improve it in any way” (1959).

Carl Andre is also known for being married to, and accused of the murder of, fellow artist Ana Mendieta. Mendieta was a Cuban multimedia artist whose work explored violence, sex, and death, often shocking viewers. The two were married for less than a year when Mendieta fell from their shared apartment window during an argument and was killed. Supposedly the two argued often about their success as artists and their work.

To me, Andre’s career is an excellent example of the ease with which male artists too often achieve success and vast recognition. He is an embodiment of privilege. For centuries, female artists have lived in the background of the art world, having to work twice as hard or pick up on amazing luck to be recognized as deserving of the same respect as their male counterparts. In my eyes, Andre is famous because he is a wealthy man who makes art, not because his art is impactful, or because he is intelligent. Whether or not Andre murdered Mendieta, the two married artists still tell an engaging story. Mendieta’s work drips with boundary-pushing meaning, exposing her grief, exploring death and sexuality, which took a toll on her reputation and success. Andre doesn’t seem to take any sort of risks in his work. He seems instead to live on a pedestal, basking in the grand recognition and his alleged superiority to others.

Question #2:

The Catharsis and Romance of David Bowie:

How one man raised a world full of teenagers.

When I was 14 my dad took me to the David Bowie exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on a rainy day. I knew close to nothing of Bowie, besides the memory of the Hunky Dory album cover, and the grainy image of him pulling his blonde hair back (I thought it was a woman). The exhibit focused on his costumes and clothing, including jewelry, platform shoes, wigs. I was utterly absorbed. At 14, I had a stubborn habit of hiding away, not believing most parts of myself to be potentially valuable, and not thinking of living as anything someone like me could make anything out of besides the ordinary. David Bowie made me see life as a performance, a party. While suppressing myself had become second nature, David Bowie danced his feelings, adored being the center of attention. Openly bisexual and visibly androgynous, Bowie gave sexuality a new meaning. He embraced the blur, erased the lines: Got your mother in a whirl, she’s not sure if you’re a boy or a girl.

I didn’t hate my parents, but I often resented the typical expectations they stood for. I was determined not to live like I was expected to. Throughout my teens, Bowie’s music seemed to be a soundtrack to a personal revolution, one where I enjoyed myself, saw my own value. A perspective emerged in which things didn’t need to be taken so seriously. In “Space Oddity”, Bowie pokes fun at the space race, at men in suits on computers fulfilling desperate childhood astronaut dreams with a sort of disgusting solemnity. Bowie reminded us we’re children, animals even, with an inevitable wildness we cannot continue to deny.

When he died, I grieved as I would for a friend or a mentor, as much of the world seemed to. His death seemed to move the world that he helped raise, all teenagers he saved from their own respective decades. I felt like I had been left alone to fend for myself. Bowie seemed to become the “Starman” that he sang about: There's a starman waiting in the sky, He'd like to come and meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds. He had always been saying, as the starman does, Let all the children boogie.

As I got older and left home, entering college, his music started to become more saddening. Listening to “Five Years” while making my way through a glum crowd in the dead of New York City’s winter, I wasn’t thinking about revolution, or joy, or sexuality, I was thinking about death, about all the missed connections, wasted love, the unrequited, the end of the world, of childhood. The song wasn’t about making the most of anything anymore, it was about everything that had passed by when I wasn’t looking.

David Bowie’s unapologetically provocative existence expanded the concept music in an immeasurable way. His work is less about his voice or talent, and more about his presentation of an entire self, which he sewed to his music. To listen to a song is to listen to his desires, philosophies, and energy. He turned the world on its head.

Fun (but serious) #1: Singalong

A song I love from the class playlist is “ABC’s of New York” by Princess Nokia. I’d never heard of Princess Nokia before, and I love the song because while it’s a laid back lo-fi jam, it’s also an incredibly dense commentary on New York City culture, a detailed snapshot. The song consists of a pretty extreme list of typical New York City images (including Tompkins Sq Park, skater boys, and bodegas), played along a smooth beat and intermingled with relevant sound effects (such as a recording of the subway doors warning statement).

Princess Nokia is a New York native so it seems only natural she’d pen such a skillful love letter to her hometown. It’s a reminder of my appreciation of the city’s quirks, both pretty and ugly. New York is a polarizing place full of extremes and energy, and it’s easy to get fed up or tired out. “ABC’s of New York” is a song that brings out the city’s personality, and brings back the charm.

Fun (but serious) #2: Reflection

The only thing that’s changed is how much I appreciate Jonathan Richman. On the worksheet I mentioned him in my answer to question 5, and how my parents passed his music down to me and how much of a comfort it is. However, I’ve really come to love him more in the past months. I saw him live again and it moved me in a new way. I can’t stress the amount of carelessness he seems to carry, and how light and contagious it is. At 67 he plays live incredibly often and in concert, he improvises lyrics, sings in multiple languages, recites poetry, and dances wildly to instrumentals. His energy is unmatchable. He has a way of making any stresses seem nonexistent. To me he’s reminiscent of a prophet, handing out wisdom through song, and perpetually finding the humor and tenderness in everything. I have so much love for him and his work.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Margot Brown

Question 1: Like, OMG, the Worst. I Can’t Even

Ariana Grande A pop sensation who I want to throat punch (in the nicest way possible).

Although many are raving about pop star Ariana Grande since the death of her ex, Mac Miller and the release of her new song, Thank u, next, about her many exes, I strongly dislike her music and her as a celebrity overall. The star started singing at a young age and got her big break on the Nickelodeon kids show, Victorious, which aired in 2010. I watched this show very often as a child, so not only do I know Grande’s music, but her acting as well. Her acting and music are one in the same— basic and lacking depth.

Many find Thank u, next, released on November 3, to be a motivational song about Grande moving on from her relationships of the past as she just broke off her engagement with Pete Davidson and her recent ex Mac Miller died. I find it was written too quickly after the breakup— and that it doesn't really have much substance. Sure she may say she was, “so thankful” for Pete Davidson, she doesn't give any real reasons why and doesn't do it without saying in a poppy, diva voice, “I’m so fuckin’ grateful for my ex,” right after or mocking their engagement in the music video. I also find the words, “Thank u, next” to sound slightly derogatory and arrogant. I just think there could have been a more mature and classy way to write about past relationships for someone of her age and celebrity status. 

Her newest song, Imagine, released December 14, is about her relationship with Mac Miller, who passed away September of this year. Its mostly about their physical relationship and not much else. All she does is describe them kissing and ordering pad thai. Sure, she has to be in pain after losing such an important person in her life, but a song like this does not commemorate his life in any way. Not to mention the fact that she is benefiting financially in a big way from releasing a song about her dead ex when she dumped him and got engaged a month later. It just doesn't seem all that genuine to me. But again, it’s not my place to judge how she copes.

In the show, Victorious, Grande played the role of Kat, an annoying teenage girl who acts extremely dumb all the time and talks with a high-pitched baby voice that makes you want to punch her throat. Many would say, “it’s only a role she’s playing!” but she talks like this in real life too, only less exaggerated. Ariana grande is also a white woman who tans herself until she is basically living in brownface and pretending to be Latina. She even joked about a Quinceañera, while mispronouncing it. All this along with the fact that all of her music is top 50 pop hits that play on the radio until you want to scream make Ariana Grande an artist I do not enjoy at all.

word count: 498

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl1aHhXnN1k

Question 2: Gone but Not Forgotten

Trish Keenan The late love of my musical life.

My favorite band of all time, Broadcast, is an indie electronic band that was formed in 1995 in Birmingham, England. Rather underrated in my opinion, this uncommon group blended American psychedelic rock, electronica, and experimental samples to create what I consider the best music I’ve ever heard. Sadly, the life of this group was short lived, as Trish Keenan died unexpectedly in 2011 of pneumonia. She took the band’s voice and heart with her to the grave, as they have not been a group since. They couldn’t be, she was the lead singer and soul of the band.

When I first heard Trish Kennan’s voice, I was in the car with my my person— my best friend, Justin Conrad. We were driving down a country road and blasting music with all of the windows down and our limbs flying out of them. I have him to thank for opening my world to much of the music I listen to today. We share the same taste in music totally and completely, and I trust anything he sends me is worth the listen. I heard her once and immediately became obsessed with the band. 

Her eerie yet soothing voice on top of the odd sounds of different samples and instruments just creates something magical— almost unexplainable unless heard. Some of her songs are calm, some jarring. The tone of her voice and samples intensity can make that change— even within one song. The lyrics also speak to me in ways I cannot fully explain. The band had a way with creating songs that speak to people in personal ways and Trish Keenan is the only one who had the voice for the job. There is truly no one like her.

Trish Kennan had already died once I discovered her music. Since I never got to experience her while she was alive, all my friends and I do is get very sad that we will never be able to see Broadcast live. One late night after listening to their performances live on Youtube, we cried because we will never get to experience the greatness of Trish Keenan or Broadcast in person, ever. Trish Keenan almost sounds better live than on her released albums, which is insane.  

I also enjoy the album covers and music videos for the band’s music, as well as Keenan’s personal style. The music videos are a creepy, film-camera-feeling, artistic mastery of video-making. Each album cover is a work of graphic art or photography I would display proudly on my wall— or even hope to design myself, if I could ever come up with such genius. Trish Keenan dressed like all of my fashion goals. She didn’t care what was trendy or becoming of her, she just wore what suited her. Her chunky jewelry, big, colorful sweaters, and long dresses with big boots reflected the music she made and the person she was. I admire her in all ways possible, and would give a limb to see her come back from the dead.

Word count: 502

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZJ-N750Bk

Fun (but serious!) #1: Singalong

A New Favorite Song 

While putting this Spotify playlist on shuffle, I found many songs that I enjoyed. The one that I hadn't heard that stood out to me the most was The Way I Feel Inside by the Zombies. The simple lyrics and calm beat with the strong, unwavering voice of Colin Blunstone is something that made me stop and download the song. I had heard the zombies before, but not much, and not this song.

I love the fact that it is so short— it just makes it better in my opinion. There’s no need to go on and on repeating lyrics when you can say them like this, plain and simple, in a very clear tone with little background noise. It forces you to hear the lyrics and savor the short time you have with them. The lyrics themselves are very relatable. I was listening to this song and thinking about a time when I had feelings for someone and didn't know how they felt back. I think we’ve all been there. It’s scary to say something if you’re not sure what the outcome will be, love or heartbreak. 

Perhaps my favorite part of the song is the ending— the sound of a coin spinning on a table. To me it is indicative of a person trying to figure out if “She loves me, or she loves me not,” with a coin toss.

Fun (but serious!) #2: Reflection

This Class Was GREAT

To me the thing that most stands out on my “Let’s Get Acquainted” form that I filled out in August is my response to question #2, my interest in journalism. Before taking this class, I knew I loved writing and that I wanted to have that be a part of my career. Now that I have taken this course, I can say with full confidence that I want to be a journalism in some way, shape or form. 

I took this class to try journalism and see if I like it and I am so grateful that I did. Not only did I look forward to coming to class every Monday, I really felt that my professor did too. To me, a professor that cares about me and my peers and gets excited to teach me is the most inspiring thing a university can offer. I also got to go out and explore the city for assignments. I would have never gone out to see as much art, theater, or concerts if I didn’t take this course. I experienced things that made me a more knowledgable person, and through this course I became a better writer. I learned how to edit myself more harshly than ever, and come up with some great words with little notice.

Now that I know more about journalism and the arts and culture world of New York City, I have even more inspiration to write. I also write more confidently. Being forced to see the art museums also fueled my artistic side. I make art— be it painting, drawing, graphic design on my laptop— and now I am making more of it. This course was a great thing to experience. I feel like it helped me open my eyes to possible careers and to the world right in front of me that I didn’t know existed.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Final Exam: Sebastian

Question #2: From Liverpool to the World

John Lennon’s masterful array of works takes you by the hand and lifts your spirit

by Sebastian Villarini-Velez

I was ten year olds driving through the highways of Florida when I first heard the Beatles. My dad had just bought a copy of The Beatles 1 album, the first compilation of Beatles hits to be sold since the Anthology albums. The song that struck my ten year old brain with wonder was Help. This guy was screaming off the top of his lungs how the troubles of life had led him to feel down. I throughly enjoyed the blasting guitar riffs, arpeggios that will never leave my subconscious, but above all I had a feeling that this guy was singing from his heart. I understood at that young age that good music is the one that reflects what happens in the artist’s life. That’s where the greatness of John Lennon lies. From Love Me Do to Beautiful Boy Lennon’s life is depicted in a beautiful array of musical genius.

I don’t think any other artist has influenced my life as much as Lennon did. I could come up with an entire playlist of songs written by him that fit every single occasion in a person’s life. You can dance around as you pregame for the night listening to his boisterous piano riffing alongside Elton John in Whatever Gets you Through the Night as well as wallow in your painful breakup listening to the apologetic ballad Jealous Guy. Every instance he recorded music he did it from his soul. A true artist is one that manages to seamlessly reflect their life in their work. When I moved to New York I felt lost, I was homesick, and alone. His heartwarming lyricism in How? took all the melancholy away. In it Lennon asks trivial questions like “How can I have feelings when my feelings have been denied?” A true artist makes you feel his pain or happiness. They take you by the hand and say “listen you are not alone, I feel the same way.”

One can listen to his most popular songs and say that he not only sang about love and misery but he also wrote political anthems that will last forever. In Give Peace a Chance he deconstructs the myth of war and conflict and simply asks us to love one another. Lennon wasn’t just a rock star he was one of the few socially conscious artists of his time. He fought against a system that was dealing with an agenda of war and violence and became the symbol of peace just by asking us to imagine a world free from the self imposed social constraints we live in. The amount of artists that have been influenced by his work is unthinkable. With his death the world was deprived of a musical genius and a political voice willing to advocate against the tyrannous political establishment that exists today. His protest songs taught me how to fight the power while his love songs taught me how to love.

Question #3: Criticism as Social Commentary

Wesley Morris shows how to use long form journalism to critique not only movies and tv but also the world we live in.

by Sebastian Villarini Velez

In Last Taboo movie critic Wesley Morris comments on the mystery behind male genitalia in the movies. The essay includes all the negative connotations that come with the myth of black male genitalia. It is a topic that while controversial it had never come to my mind. Why is it ok for white male to show their parts on screen and not for people of color to do so? I had never realized that whenever I saw or heard of a colored penis being talked about on tv or movies it would always be in a comedic or sarcastic manner. It wasn’t until I read the article by Morris that I realized the hypocrisy behind colored male genitalia. By reading this article my interpretation of criticism and journalism morphed into a gateway to provide a message and not only critique a work but also provide a public service by critiquing society and its parameters of judgement.

Morris address the cultural stereotypes plaguing the myth of black male penises and also how it extends to sexuality in tv and movies. He makes the point that black sexuality has forever remained a taboo and that it is never viable for a colored couple to show affection on screen. He also eludes to the fact that in history the male penis has been used to subjugate African Americans to humiliation and instill fear in society. Sexuality is a factor for identity in some cultures. Male sexuality, especially black male sexuality has been kept a taboo because it has always been the butt of the joke. Morris’s insight regarding the stereotypical outlook towards black penises serves as a prime example of how show business appropriates factors of identity in some cultures and turns them into profit. The piece touches upon how blacks in show business have been deprived of a sexual identity of their own.

The hyper awareness that dawned on me thanks to this article led me to believe that criticism is not only determining wether something is good or not, but it also lends itself to social commentary through long form journalism. It is possible for a writer to compose a piece where he or she not only express their gut reaction to something but also provide social commentary.

Last Taboo is a prime example of how one can achieve a broader understanding of society and how the collective psyche works by doing research and becoming knowledgeable within the context of the topic. This piece showed how extensive research serves to contextualize themes and ideas in a deeper level. The piece helped to distinguish the use of historical facts to broaden the explanation of the approach taken. Through these historical facts and current information Morris shows how the cultural misconception of black male genitalia has plagued an entire race for years.

Fun but serious 1:  New York is my alphabet

Princess Nokia’s ABCs of New York vibrates with the essence of the city. “A is for the apple take a bite spit it out” shows character and fuck you attitude that pervades the air in the city. When you listen to it you find yourself bopping your head to the smooth lo-fi vibe of the beat. You can really feel the city with every aspect of this song. She inserts sound bites of the subway like “Stand clear of the closing doors” among other familiar sounds of the cityscape. The song encompasses daily life deep in New York City. I love the song because it deconstructs the touristy glamour of Tony Bennett’s New York New York and paints a much more realistic gritty image of the city we live in.

She sings of the melting pot that is New York and also who she is. Princess Nokia raps “Jewish, Puerto Rican, and a little bit Italian” and that is really what New York is. A combination of cultures and identities that struggle every day to survive and make a living in the harsh metropolitan giant.  The song beats up the preconceived notions of the city and shows you the real culture surrounding the city deprived from its glam.

ABCs of New York touches on the harshness of the upbringing in the city. With lines like “I got a problem b with white supremacy” and “fuck the police NYPD get away” the song appears as an anthem to anyone who has grown up in the city and I love that. What drew me to this city was the grit, and screw it attitude in New York Culture and this song encompasses it all.

Fun but serious 2: A New Outlook in the Arts

I am an artist by nature and by trade. I have been submerged in my art form for so long that I entered the class craving a new refreshing point of view towards everything that is art. This class provided me with a broader sense of what is considered art and how to approach it that I will forever carry with me. I had no idea how to appreciate what I did and how to be hungry for information regarding that particular piece of art. Finding out new artists, art form, and mediums will forever be an obsession of mine thanks to this class.

I wrote about my first concert which was at an abandoned air base in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. I jumped all night and got my converse completely destroyed by mud. What I did not know was what went into the show that infused massive hysteria in my 15 year old mind. I had no idea of the different musical influences that I was exposed to, the lighting designer, the festival that I saw them at. Now thanks to this class I go to a show, any show and I look for every single detail that is worth paying attention to. Every bit of information is essential to what makes the show and now I know how to appreciate it. I am leaving this class with a broader understanding of how to appreciate art and how to provide insight into the artist’s work from within the piece itself.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Question 1: Patti Smith’s Never Gone From NYC

Although, her New York no longer exists much like I wish her music would not

By: Katina Smith

The High Line of shops and $6 ice cream sandwiches is today’s Chelsea New York.  This lower west side is no longer anything like of Smith’s ‘70s of heroin addicts and art warehouses. Today  Chelsea is one of skyscrapers juxtaposed with cobblestone streets and has the fastest growing real estate prices of anywhere in Manhattan.

Patti Smith was a punk rocker of mainly the ‘70s. Smith and her lover, partner, and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe lived in the Hotel Chelsea — a place best known to freely house artists in exchange their work. The Chelsea has provided lodging to Jack Kerouac, Tennessee Williams, Cher, and Bob Dylan to name a few.

Given the likes of the residents in attendance, Smith and her recorded melodies are lackluster. Her best known and selling album, “Horses” comes up short and her voice is in need of some Robitussin.  Her raspy off-beats are Joplin-lite and her lyrics more suited to poetry than a screechy throat-filled “Gloria.”

After reading her National Book Award-winning memoir “Just Kids,” and learning of Smith’s impressive coming of affluence in a New York no one wanted to be in, I desperately wanted to connect to her. Her manly esthetic of a white button-up, black pants, and unruly locks are a sharp juxtaposition to her repetitive high notes. Someone of her physical confidence does not have the musical talent to back it up — she lived on the streets of New York after leaving her New Jersey family. In 2011, she received an honorary degree from Pratt, a place she desperately needed to learn the artistic discipline from. Her ability to put pen to paper and write of her New York life with Mapplethorpe is nothing like her music.

Smith quickly escalates from high to low notes with the electrifying guitar that overpowers her screaming and screeching, rather than soothing her many vocal cords— much in need of a rest. The epitome of this is her sexy rasps and political overtones— far more suited to a slam session than a concert performance. The only glimpse of salvation is her “Hey Joe” that attempts a soft and feminine touch until she repeats her almost un-comprehensible “who shot her.” Much like I wish her music career was shot into the direction of poetry— fit for an underground village bar or in an accompaniment to the plethora of art stored in the ’70’s Chelsea Warehouses she lived all around. Smith’s NYC of underground artists is unfortunately gone today, but yet, her music still remains.

_________________________________________________

Question 2: John Candy — A Sweet Uncle to Remember

“Uncle Buck” is the Uncle Chuck to the Patterson family

Uncle Buck, played by comedy legend John Candy, was a man of epic proportions.  As an unemployed uncle tasked with caring for his niece and two nephews, Uncle Buck’s personality and attitude far outshine the small constraints of his wallet.

Forever in the imaginary of my older cousins, Uncle Buck is my dad, Uncle Chuck and his title will always reign supreme. As a man of larger than life size and personality, my dad is the uncle who’d do anything for a great laugh— exactly synonymous with Candy’s career and his movie portrayal as well. My dad and his sister have a huge age gap, my dad being 10 years younger, so he was the built-in babysitter for my 4 cousins charades.

Every Christmas and Thanksgiving, my cousins reminisce on the days of my dad’s watch — trips to Blockbuster for inappropriate movies, pizzas, and games of football which arguably ended with one child forced into an early retirement from injury.

The smile and escapades of Uncle Buck arguably put a smile on my face, thinking of my cousins' lives and my dad’s pre-wife, kids, and mortgage payments. John Candy was John Hughes number one actor, appearing in more of his comedy masterpieces than any other actor. This movie was filmed and released all within 1989, something unheard of in a society of thousands of cuts and special effects today.

John Candy’s legacy to my family is far greater than the massive pancakes he prepared or the cheap jokes he gave. Rather, it elicits nostalgia of days before cell-phones and responsibilities, but carefree fun and games. I always wish I knew my dad in his Uncle Buck days, as a person of care-free fun… a taste of which I get seeing his excitement on the eve of Christmas eve when we find my mom’s Christmas present, something she inevitably returns from our gaudy taste, and yet we have the time of our lives on a sugar-induced high of Christmas cookies and milkshakes that we use to fuel our shopping adventures.

Uncle Buck is Hugh’s holiday comedy before the massive success that is the Home Alone series, and really warms the hearts of those in 1989 when the film was released on DVD and even for people like me today— those always seeking out a cheap thrill.

_____________________________________________________

Fun but serious 1: Princess Nokia, the Ultimate Pun Master

Alright, so I’m a little high strung and essentially a ninety-year-old so my friend gave me rap lessons all of last year. She knew my love of puns and therefore felt I would appreciate the lyrics of rap lyrics. Now, these rap lessons are not teaching me how to perfect the art form —that would just be weird and almost minstrel, I mean white preppy kids are not meant to rap. Rather, the lessons were on the history of the industry and featured a new artist or release almost every week.

Princess Nokia was one of my favorites, her Harlem Puerto Rican roots interesting in their impact on her lyrics. Her New York home and young age make her relatable to me, especially within my NYC college experience.  This “ABC’s of New York” is fascinating in Princess Nokia’s use of an elementary concept and it’s applicability on her greater life story. Honestly, my rap knowledge is so young that I’m shocked my friend did not introduce me to this song in the first place. Her explaining of the MTA’s vastness is relatable to me, “Underground are MTA, close my eyes and ride the train

Back and forth on every day, anywhere, anyway” as it’s something I do almost all the time. More than just applicability to New Yorkers, Princess Nokia discusses huge politician issues of police officer abuse and drugs within lower-income communities, something that can use any attention it can get!

_____________________________________________________

Fun but serious 2: Utilizing NY in My Senior Year

Before this class, I’d gone to shows and museums, yet not nearly enough to warrant the three years that I’ve spent here. The fact that this class forced me to museums, to concerts, and to theater performances, pushed me into so many enjoyable experiences that I should have sought out more frequently previously... I will next semester! The fact that I not only went to these things, but also was forced to critique, review, analyze, and connect them to myself and the history of the performance was quite rewarding.

In all seriousness, the interrelation between performances, how I felt about them, how they related to everyday life and the history of an industry has insurmountable helped me to write my law school personal statement (as you know) in a concise way that I wouldn’t have otherwise. The connection that you forced me to find with Eloise helped me in my thesis defense presentation on the Plaza Hotel, and why I’d chose a mythological and elitist topic in a room of students discussing more “hard topics.”

Furthermore, the reality is, I love New York City, but I will probably be going to law school someplace new— with that being said, I need to appreciate everything that I can from the city in the semester I have left, and this class forced me to do that. I now have a better way in articulating my feelings about specific works of art— I’ve come a long way from Bemelman’s Bar to “My Fair Lady.”

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Chasing Invader: An Interactive Approach to Street Art

by Kate Riley

Invader is the pseudonym of a French urban artist who puts up images inspired by the pixelated graphics of video games of the 1970s and 1980s. His name comes from the game Space Invaders, and you can find his mosaic-like images hidden in alleys, high up on the corners of buildings, or below pipes by the sidewalk all over the world.

The best and most fun part of Invader’s work is his application FlashInvaders. Fans of his all over the world create accounts on the app and use it to chronicle every installation of his they find. The app tracks your location when you use the app so you can’t cheat, you must be standing directly in front of it to add the work to your account. Each work is also given a point value, depending on its size and how difficult it is to find.

I first downloaded the app when traveling as a fun game and a way to keep track of where i had been, but it only occurred to me recently that Invader most likely had pieces in New York as well. The one that I found, a green pac-man ghost made of Rubik’s cubes, was a little beat-up and almost camouflaged by all of the other graffiti and street-art surrounding it. I can’t say where it was because I don’t think Invader would appreciate it and it would ruin the fun.

Despite their sometimes slightly underwhelming appearance, it is always such a joy and a rush to find an Invader piece because it makes you feel as if you are in on something. While some people use the app more competitively (all the users are ranked by number of points they have), I just think of it as a fun treasure hunt and enjoy scrolling through my little (but expanding) gallery.

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

My Journey of Trying to be More Italian as Told Through a List of Songs

By Kate Riley

I want to preface this list by saying that I am way more culturally Italian than I am ethnically Italian. Italy takes up a small percentage of my blood but a large percentage of my heart. It has always been a language and a country that I have loved and am always trying to learn more about, whether that be in school, through TV and films, through travel, or through music. This is a list of Italian songs that are not all necessarily my favorites, but have all played a large role in my Italian education.

1. Crêuza de mä (1984) - Fabrizio De André

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlukK5-WZN8

Fabrizio De André is considered one of the greatest singer-songwriters in Italy, and is the pride of Genoa, the city where he is from. This song is from his 11th album, which was recorded entirely in the Genovese dialect, a risky move had he not already been so successful. The title of the song, which is also the title of the album, means a seaside path, and the song tells the story of the fisherman of Genoa. My family is Genovese, and I grew up listening to all of De André’s music because my dad had every one of his 13 albums. When I was 11, my family went to Genoa to meet my Italian family for the first time after losing touch for a generation. My cousin put on this album and was so excited to discover that we already knew De André’s music. Now, I am very close with my Italian family and this song takes me back to that very beautiful and emotional first meeting. I don’t understand dialetto, but according to De André his music is so powerful you don’t need to to understand this song.

2. Ma il cielo è sempre più blu (1975) - Rino Gaetano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ioOG-PaxQ

Rino Gaetano is one of the icons of Italian music. Famous for his satirical and political voice, was and is highly in Italian music. He died in a car accident when he was only 30 years old. This song, released in 1975, is Gaetano listing various kinds of people that highlight human differences, whether that be ideological, socioeconomic, etc. The one who steals pension, who has a bad memory, who wears glasses, who goes under a train, etc. The song was originally censored for a couple of lines (who throws a bomb and who is a ball-breaker I believe). But in the end, which is the title of the song, the sky is always blue. We all live under the same sky. I don’t remember when or where I first heard this song, but it is one of my favorites and a great one to know if you are looking for an Italian music education.

3. Prima Di Andare Via (2003) - Neffa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_WFoNCsk3U

This funk-pop tune by Giovanni Pellino, more commonly known as Neffa, hit number 10 in the Italian pop charts in 2003. Neffa started as a drummer in rock bands, moved to hip hop groups, and now is a solo artist who produces more funk-pop and slightly R&B tunes. He has received criticism from the hip hop and rap community in Italy, but his music is incredibly popular. This song is the first single off of his 4th album “I molteplici mondi di Giovanni, il cantante Neffa.” During the summer of 2016, the first summer I worked at the Italian Homemade Company, I heard this song almost every day. I worked with my best friend and it became our anthem. Anytime we could tell the other needed a push or was getting tired we would queue it up and belt it out. Yelling the chorus, which translates to “you are so beautiful, maybe a bit too much for me,” at each other as we bussed tables is one of my favorite memories with my best friend during that wonderful first summer of working at a job I will always feel lucky to have had.

4. Senza Pagare (2017) - J-AX, Fedez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpBSIS9ZNZM

This song played everywhere when my sister and I went to Italy in the summer of 2017. It’s by J-AX, who was half of perhaps Italy’s most successful hip hop act Articolo 31, and Fedez, a rapper and half of Italy’s favorite celebrity couple. It’s a hiphop/rap song about getting into the club for free and how great it is to be as cool as them. This is not a classic by any means (my cousin would be offended it’s on a list with Fabrizio De André) but it was the song that played as my sister and I traveled through Italy without our parents for the first time. The song has the same spirit that we had that summer: that we were getting away with something. The chorus repeats “like a crime, without rules,” and this was our first time fully living without any rules. Another gift this song gave me is the knowledge of #theFerrangez. Fedez and his wife Chiara Ferragni, who the Financial Times ranked as #7 most powerful ultra-influencer (above Rihanna and Ariana Grande), are the stars of Italian social media. I took pride in the fact that I didn’t get invested in celebrity couples before I discovered them.

5. La musica non c’è (2017) - Coez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5cL3rpp4SU

Silvano Albanese, known by his stage name Coez, is a singer-songwriter and rapper who has a large influence on the modern Italian pop scene. This song, which translates to “there is no music” was the song of the summer in 2017, and continued to be sung by Italian youths well into 2018. The song details all the things this man would like to say and do to his love and lamenting that he doesn’t even know where to begin. It is a very beautiful and emotional song that relates to the anxiety that comes with allowing yourself be vulnerable with someone. I listened to this song on repeat on the plane to Milan for my semester abroad and sobbed silently like the emotional lady I am. Planes are oddly emotional for me, I was leaving to a new country by myself for the first time, and I had just experienced a frustrating end to a relationship in which I was too nervous to say everything I wanted. Needless to say, this song hit close to home. Now I listen to this song when I want to feel nostalgic because my time in Milan was the best five months of my life (definitely nothing to cry about!).

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Big Apple Meets Gingerbread

Move Over Swirly, Twirly Gum Drops and Candy Cane Forests, William Sonoma has a New House In Town

By: Katina Smith (Public Art Extra Credit)

NYC is a land of apartments and mile-high skyscrapers, so naturally, their gingerbread houses mimic this. Time Warner’s William Sonoma takes on a gingerbread city. There’s an empire state building, and a model of Time Warner Center all made of cookies and frosting, oh my! This was baked and assembled not by a village of little elves but by Canada’s Beatriz Mueller over two months!

The caliber of frosting and the framing through the window display is the epitome of the Columbus Circle location... nice, clean, busy, and yet not overdone, it is baked just right. The house is of the same caliber of Disney’s  Grand Floridian gingerbread house, yet the NYC location provides for more detail and a greater skyline scene.

You may ask, why is a twenty-one year old looking at gingerbread displays in Williams Sonoma? Well, first of all, it always smells great, the peppermint bark is delicious, and ‘tis the season! Williams Sonoma brings festivity to what can be a dismal holiday season in the concrete jungle... with the lines, the tourists, and the hassle. 

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

The Perception of Black Culture

Amanda Hess’ video analysis of reaction GIFs and memes will make you think twice about what you post.

By Malachi Johnson

In the first episode of Internetting with Amanda Hess, “The White Internet’s Love Affair with Digital Blackface”, Hess discusses the way in which people tend to use GIFs of people of color in order to express emotion on the internet. According to Hess, this practice becomes a form of blackface by allowing people to adopt Black culture in a dramatized way.

When the video first began, I didn’t understand the significance. I use GIFs very often in my personal life and never noticed whether my choice of imagery was determined by race. I did realize however, that I do associate people of color with emotion and expression. As a person of both Black and Hispanic ethnicity, I’ve always taken pride in the “larger than life” mannerisms that my family members exhibit. Because of my personal experience, I view Black culture as familial and passionate. I even saw the description of Black people being animated as a compliment. However, by comparing a culture or group of people to animation, they become forms of amusement rather than human beings.  

People of color are already underrepresented in the media; so much so that a blockbuster film like Black Panther, with a 90 percent Black cast, is considered a cultural phenomenon. Most portrayals of Black culture show us as violent, angry, or uneducated. By reducing Black culture to single emotion images, they’re seen less as people and more as means of entertainment. While the comparison to blackface may seem drastic, there are pointed similarities. Blackface was initially used by actors in order to portray people of color on stage, primarily as caricatures in order to make fun of them. Similarly, reaction GIFs are used as a way of saying “Look at how over the top this is!” In the Kimberly Wilkins video, Wilkins is telling people about how she escaped a life-threatening situation, and yet she became a viral sensation because of her broken vocabulary.

As Hess mentions, this is not meant to say that only people of color can use memes/GIFs with people of color in them. It’s merely a call for us to be aware of the way that we view and portray cultures on the Internet. Even a seemingly innocent joke can shape the way that people treat one another.      

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

Social Media’s Shift: From Facial Expressions to Hand Movements

Amanda Hess discusses how our faces project narcissism, but our hands project seriousness of purpose.

By: Priska Mohunsingh

You have probably come across Tasty videos, also known as the quick recipe videos streaming on major social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram. Videos like those catch our attention by surprise--do you actually wake up one morning, planning to come across a short cooking video with a catchy background tune? I’d hope not. So how else do you end up spending 40 minutes watching these? These quick 2-3 minute videos are short in duration, cut to the chase, and appeal us with music and the right angle and lighting on hands. 

The Internet’s new selfie requires our hands, not our faces. I recently realized that I unknowingly made guitar covers of my favorite songs on Youtube solely by showing my hands as they play the strings. For both introverts and people who would rather feel comfortable showing their hands (that too, artistically), video recording isn’t limited anymore. Society has gradually shifted to accepting the new selfie style for various reasons. 

Hands projected in the right angle with the right lighting give us the ability to feel as if we are in the position of the model presented in the video. 

Along with quick food recipe videos you come across on the internet, we also can see the rise of prominence in hand presentations through nail art and henna designs.

In the past, the whole body of a person (their face, arms, legs, and movement) were included in videos to give the audience the feeling that they’re hanging out with the celebrity cook/actor. However, the use of hands helps people feel as if they themselves are doing the work which gives a certain satisfaction to the audience. 

[newyorkisartsyfartsy]

With the rise of Youtube and the increased access to video editing tools came the rise of the conspiracy theory culture of the internet. In Season 1 episode 5 of her youtube show Internetting with Amanda Hess, a series she produces for the New York Times, Amanda Hess explores how paranoid thinking has grown over recent years. As with every new technology, the internet has fueled it’s own brand of paranoid thinking. With the advent of photography, images of woodland fairies and ghosts spread along with an air of mysticism. Personal film cameras led to the home movie that “proved” the existence of Bigfoot. 

Today, we have youtube and video editing tools that have led to the growth of conspiracy theory culture. The internet is home to any conspiracy you can imagine, each with a community of supporters and believers. There are flat Earthers, those that believe 911 was an inside job, and those that believe Avril Lavigne has been dead for years and was replaced by her body double Melissa. It is easy to get caught up in these videos, with their dramatic music, quick cuts, and often shoddy photo edits that highlight suspicious visuals. The accessibility to these photo and video editing technology has made it easy for the average person to share their ideas, however paranoid they may be, and to organize their “proof” in compelling ways. They are then posted to the internet where there will no doubt be someone else who agrees with them, who will fuel their paranoia. 

I can’t lie and say I have never fallen down the hole of conspiracy videos on youtube. Some I find amusing (the ones about Melissa), others that are more in the same vein as Black Mirror the popular show that is essentially one big paranoid conspiracy channel, are truly frightening. It is important to keep in mind the point Amanda Hess made that these theories are becoming more and more vague. That is valid. One should be cautious of videos that point out a couple of weak correlations and then end with a question, not providing any real context, proof, or answers. Correlation does not equal causation. But, I must say that with the rapid advancement of technology, and the amount of our personal information that is being logged in various databases, having some level of paranoia while operating on the internet seems only logical. It leaves me wondering: do we need to wake up, sheeple?