ArtDiction January/February 2020

Habitual. Art.

Performance Arts

Volume 22 January/February 2020 www.artdictionmagazine.com

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ArtDiction is a platform for artists to display their work and a resource for the habitual art lover.

Staff

Devika A. Strother, Editor-in-Chief devika@artdictionmagazine.com Isabella Chow, Associate Editor bella@artdictionmagazine.com

Contributing Writers Cody Perkins Kariri Gaita

Devika Akeise Publishing assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by authors and artists in this publication. Š2020 of Devika Akeise Publishing. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

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FEATURES 14 Live Painting, Fantasy, and Geometric Forms

We interviewed Morgan Mandala, performance painter, who embraces the challenge and freedom to paint without thinking.

29 Music in the Digital Age

Here, we discuss how the digital world has influence music and its over quality.

30 Flamenco, Jazz, and Everything in Between

Nuria Marin Fandos is a dancer from Spain who isn’t afraid to ignore what the world says she should be.

44 William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre In this article, we discuss William Shakespeare’s creative home away from home.

Cover photo courtesy of Nuria Marin Fandos.

In Each Issue 5 small talk 6 news 8 books 10 music 12 exhibits & events 46 artist & ad index Photo courtesy of Morgan Mandala.

©2020 by Devika Akeise Publishing

ArtDiction | 4 | January/February 2020

small talk

©

A

ttending music concerts, comedy shows and heading to the theatre are at the top of my list of ways to spend my free time. It’s all art--performance art, more specifically.

Sitting in the audience always make me second guess my career choices as I convince myself (from my seat, of course) that I can sing and dance at the same time, tell an anecdote that makes you laugh and ponder on the way to the perfect punchline, or be vulnerable enough to show an emotional range that includes ugly crying (mascara running is optional) in front of hundreds of people.

But something always snaps be back into reality, and I realize my place is in the audience. Let the artists “art” under the spotlight. I can always write about later.

Attending music concerts, comedy shows, and heading to the theatre are at the top of my list of ways to spend my free time. It’s all art—performance art, more specifically. Sitting in the audience always make me second guess my career choices as I convince myself (from my seat, of course) that I can sing and dance at the same time, tell an anecdote that makes you laugh and ponder on the way to the perfect punchline, or be vulnerable enough to show an emotional range that includes ugly crying (mascara running is

optional) in front of hundreds of people.

But something always snaps me back into reality, and I realize my place is in the audience enjoying the art. Let the artists “art” under the spotlight. I can always write about later.

In this issue we are writing about performance painter, Morgan Mandala and dancer Nuria Marin Fandos. Morgan uses the experience of the crowd, the music, and the energy to encapsulate her paintings (page 14). Nuria has been trained in various dance techniques and styles, including ballet and jazz (page 30).

But it so happens that her best piece of advice isn’t about technique.

We also discuss how music has been impacted in the digital age, and we travel back to the time of William Shakespeare’s famous theatre.

As we provide you with a taste of Performance Arts, we hope you are inspired to check out a play, travel to a music festival, or laugh till you cry at a comedy show. It’s the art in it all that makes life a little sweeter.

ArtDiction | 5 | January/February 2020

coward_lion

news The Oldest Drawing of Venice Has Been Discovered The drawing, discovered by Dr. Sandra Toffolo, was made by Niccolò da Poggibonsi during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Italy in 1346-1350.

Founded in 421 CE, the city of Venice began attracting a permanent population by approximately 450 — but it took some time for it to be the center of arts, culture, and tourism that the lagoon city remains to this day. New research by Dr. Sandra Toffolo from the School of History at the University of St Andrews, Scotland has uncovered the oldest known city view of Venice, in the collection of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale in Florence, Italy.

Dr. Toffolo made the discovery while completing researching for her monograph Describing the City, Describing the State. Representations of Venice and the Venetian Terraferma in the Renaissance, which will be published with Brill in early 2020. “… Venice is one the most-depicted cities in history,” said Dr. Toffolo, in an email interview with Hyperallergic.

“From the 14th century onwards people have continuously depicted the city in manuscripts, printed books, paintings, and countless other media.

My own research focuses on representations of Venice in the Renaissance.”

Dr. Toffolo’s book provides a detailed analysis of descriptions and visual representations of both the city of Venice and the Venetian mainland state during the Renaissance, when Venice came to stand at the head of a large state on the Italian peninsula.

This particular image, uncovered by Dr. Toffolo in May of 2019 during her research at the Biblioteca, is part of a travel manuscript by Italian pilgrim Niccolò da Poggibonsi, who traveled to Jerusalem from Italy in 13461350. The pen drawing accompanies a description of Venice, which he passed through in the course of his

Left: Barack Obama by Kehinde Wiley (2018) (image © 2018 Kehinde Wiley, courtesy National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution); right: Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama by Amy Sherald (2018) (image courtesy National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution)

pilgrimage.

“The discovery of the image in Niccolò da Poggibonsi’s travel account shows that Venice already from a very early period held a great fascination for contemporaries,” said Dr. Toffolo.

According to an article by the University of St. Andrews, the oldest extant map of Venice was made by Fra Paolino, a Franciscan friar from Venice, and dates from around 1330.

But the image discovered by Dr. Toffolo is the oldest city view and predates any other depiction of the city besides maps and portolan charts.

Dr. Toffolo also noticed the presence of small pinpricks in the image, and surmises that these were made in the process of replicating the image.

“The presence of these pinpricks is a strong indication that this city view was copied,” she told the University of St. Andrews. “Indeed, there are several images in manuscripts and early printed books that are clearly based on the image in the manuscript in Florence.”

Though not as edible as some more recent depictions of Venice, the discovery of such a foundational image must be delicious indeed, for such an

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avid researcher of Venice’s history!

Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley’s Portraits of the Obamas Get a National Tour Starting in June 2021, the official portraits of Michelle and Barack Obama will leave the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC to tour five cities across the country.

Mark your calendars, because the Obamas are coming. Well, not exactly in flesh, but it’s still exciting news: Starting in June 2021, the official portraits of Michelle and Barack Obama will leave the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC to tour five cities across the United States.

Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald’s portraits of the presidential couple will start their tour at the Art Institute of Chicago (June 18–August 15, 2021) before traveling to the Brooklyn Museum (August 27–October 24, 2021), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (November 5, 2021– January 2, 2022), the High Museum of Art in Atlanta (January 14–March 13, 2022), and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (March 25–May 30, 2022).

news “Since the unveiling of these two portraits of the Obamas, the Portrait Gallery has experienced a record number of visitors, not only to view these works in person, but to be part of the communal experience of a particular moment in time,” said Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery, in a statement. “This tour is an opportunity for audiences in different parts of the country to witness how portraiture can engage people in the beauty of dialogue and shared experience.”

According to Sajet, the venues were selected based on personal and geographical affinities. Chicago is the Obamas’ former home city, and the works will be there when the former president celebrates his 60th birthday. Sherald hails from Georgia, and Wiley was born in Los Angeles. The latter now has a studio in Brooklyn, and several of his works are in the Brooklyn Museum’s permanent collection.

In addition to the portraits, the tour will include audio-visual supplements, teacher workshops, and curatorial presentations in each location.

A hashtag for the tour is already in place (#obamaportraitstour) and a book is on the way. The Obama Portraits have been released in partnership with Princeton University Press on February 11.

Spike Lee Named President of the Jury at the 73rd Festival de CannesPhotography Residency The American director Spike Lee is to serve as President of the Jury at the next Festival de Cannes. At 62, the filmmaker, who is also a screenwriter, actor, editor and producer, has made numerous films that have become cult objects, and he brought the questions and contentious issues of the times to contemporary cinema. But he’s never lost sight of the public, setting out to

raise their awareness of his causes in film after film.

Surrounded by his Jury, which will be announced in mid-April, Spike Lee will award the Palme d’or at the close of the 73rd edition, which will take place from 12 to 23 May 2020.

“In this life I have lived,” he wrote in a statement, “my biggest blessings have been when they arrived unexpected, when they happened out of nowhere.

When I got the call that I was offered the opportunity to be President of Cannes Jury for 2020, I was shocked, happy, surprised and proud all at the same time.

In 2018, after a 22-year absence, Brooklyn-based director Spike Lee returned to the Competition with BlacKkKlansman and offered up glaring proof of his still undiminished anger and virtuosity. By turns a scathing comedy, detective thriller and political tract, the film was garnered the Grand Prix followed by the director’s first Oscar for one of his films.

On behalf of the Festival de Cannes, its Board of Directors and its teams, Pierre Lescure, President, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, are delighted to welcome both the artist and the man: “Spike Lee’s perspective is more valuable than ever. Cannes is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who (re) awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas. Lee’s flamboyant personality is sure to shake things up. What kind of President of the Jury will he be? Find out in Cannes!”

Spike Lee will succeed Alejandro G. Iñárritu, whose Jury, in 2019, awarded the Palme d’or to Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which continues to be a smash hit in cinemas around the world and has just won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film.

The Festival de Cannes will take place from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 23 May ArtDiction | 7 | January/February 2020

2020. The Official Selection and the composition of the Jury will be revealed in mid-April.

Creatives Use Art to Mourn the Death of Basketball Legend, Kobe Bryant On Sunday, January 26, 2020, the world lost Kobe Bryant, the basketball. The former Los Angeles Lakers player was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Gianna, his 13-year-old daughter, along with seven other passengers, were also killed in the tragic accident. As the news spread, people around the world began to mourn Bryant who is considered to be the best basketball player of his generation and one who spent his entire 20-year career playing for the Lakers. Bryant left behind his wife Vanessa and their three other daughters, one of which was born in June of 2019.

Creatives and artists who were also fans of the legend took to social media to express their grief over Bryant and his daughter’s deaths.

Artists used their creative talents to share touching tribute art featuring Bryant and his daughter. Their art has helped them and others to mourn.

For more art work of Kobe Bryant, go to www.artdictionmagazine.com.

books REVIEW: Heart of Junk by Luke Geddes Simon & Schuster In Luke Geddes’ debut novel, The Heart of America is the largest year-round antique mall in Kansas, composed of 189,000 square feet of quality antiques and collectibles.

But antique malls in Kansas aren’t doing too well, regardless of how long they’re open, and the increasingly vacant booths spell trouble for the mall’s owners and vendors. Lucky for them, an upcoming visit from a famous television show could be their salvation—as long as a missing beauty queen can be found in

time. Heart of Junk is an over-thetop read from start to finish, and while some of its situations are bizarre, there’s plenty of humor and nostalgia to keep you laughing as you wonder what happened to your childhood toys.

A book that takes place largely in a single location has to have a good setting, and Geddes does not disappoint; The Heart of America is a fascinating place, with logically organized halls, strategically placed rest areas, and a decently stocked café. The aisles have kitschy monikers like Bicentennial Boardwalk, Memory Lane and Good Deal Avenue. Of course, it’s really the booths that make the mall: from

Delores’ Barbies and Veronica’s mid-century modern furniture to Pete’s toys and Jimmy’s assortment of everything, the collections of the vendors are described with such color and detail that it’s easy to imagine them in all their sparkling, pink, and mish-mashed glory.

“The story would be more satisfying, however, were the ending not so abrupt.”

The collections say a lot about their owners as well. Each persons’ wares are a reflection of their character: Delores’ obsession with Barbie, the idealized version of a woman, mirrors her longing for perfection; Lee and Seymour’s two separate collections—Lee’s vinyl records in Hall Three and Seymour’s motley collection of comic books, video games and cereal boxes in Hall One—reflect their differing interests, as well as their feeling of growing apart as a couple; and Ronald’s postcards are symbolic of his need for social connections. Although these vendors sound normal enough, they each begin to unravel as the story progresses, growing more and more absurd as Geddes plays upon the characters’ neuroses and poor choices. It works, as this book is a satire—the characters are meant to be ridiculous. While they’re somewhat unbelievable as a result, the vendors all have realistic motivations and goals and there’s a kernel of something recognizable and relatable in each one; whether that be Margaret’s distress over a broken relationship, Ellie’s desire to escape to somewhere new, or Delores’ slow acceptance of herself and her imperfections. The vendors of The Heart of America have realistic motivations and goals, despite being somewhat hidden

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under their overblown quirks.

Overblown quirky characters obviously need an overblown quirky plot, and Geddes delivers on this, too. Although the initial problem to be solved is the pending foreclosure of The Heart of America, the dealers also become embroiled in the disappearance of Lindy Bobo, a local eight-year-old beauty pageant champion. Geddes walks a fine line here, as his otherwise lighthearted story takes a dark turn where Lindy and her disappearance are concerned, but the situation gives many of the characters an opportunity for growth if not redemption, and provides a nice secondary storyline that directly impacts the fight to save the antique mall.

The story would be more satisfying, however, were the ending not so abrupt. Although a few subplots are wrapped up, many of the characters’ fates are left openended, and while it’s not necessary to always tie up every loose end, another chapter or two could’ve provided a better degree of closure.

Instead, it seemed a bit like Geddes simply ran out of absurd situations in which to place his characters. That being said, there is a general feeling of optimism for the characters who do get proper endings, each reflective of the changes they’ve undergone as a result of the story’s antics and seemingly with a promise of more normal adventures ahead.

Heart of Junk’s satirical nature— almost cruel at times—and the darker subplot will likely not appeal to everyone, but for those looking for a quick read that explores the concept of one man’s trash being another’s treasure, Luke Geddes’ debut will hit the spot.

Reviewed by Jordan Lynch

books NEWS: Judging a Book by Its Title The book audience research firm, Codex Group, conducted an online test last fall to gauge how effective different book presentations were at getting consumers to browse books.

Included in the test were more than 50 new and upcoming titles , close to 4,000 book buyers took part. Results showed that cover presentations designed by Amazon Publishing did by far the best job of luring in prospective buyers.

Specifically, the company had eight of the top 10 most actively browsed books tested. (As part of the test, each cover has an adjoining “read more” button, with each “read more” click counted as a “browse” for that book.)

Five Amazon titles that rated highly on Codex’s chart were also among the 11 top-selling e-books of 2019, as recorded by BookStats and reported on in the January 13 issue of PW. Though Amazon e-books get a strong marketing push from the company, Codex president Peter Hildick-Smith said their presence

on the bestsellers list and the Codex chart “demonstrates the direct impact of strong cover browsing conversion on new book sales—something Amazon appears to deeply understand, particularly for less-well-known authors without established fan bases.”

She explained that Amazon prioritizes “the interplay between the title of the book and the visuals on the cover, because when they interact in meaningful ways, readers understand the world and tone of the book—which helps us reach readers who will enjoy the book.”

For two of the three mostbrowsed books in the Codex test, participants said that the books’ titles, not their graphics, were the

Dodson noted that, while there have been cases in which Amazon has changed a title to create a better partner for the artwork, the more common approach is for the team to look at how design “can support and augment the resonance of a title that we believe is right for its positioning message.”

“Amazon publishing teams begin thinking of a design immediately after a book is acquired.” strongest factors in prompting them to click the read more buttons.

“People who buy and read books are word lovers; nothing intrigues them more than a strong message delivered by uniquely crafted title, subtitle, or even a reading line,” Hildick-Smith said.

Another key in creating an effective cover is ensuring that the design works with the title, said Amazon creative director Courtney Dodson.

Another major consideration for Dodson is that covers work as well online as they do in stores, and across different formats—a strategy that appears to pay off. Though Amazon also uses available data to check trends and customer feedback, cover designs are very much a collaborative effort involving the author, editor, and marketing and design teams.

“The cover has to work for everyone involved,” Dodson noted. “It is a rigorous process with lots of feedback.”

Amazon publishing teams begin thinking of a design immediately after a book is acquired, generally starting out by determining what everyone involved wants the cover to communicate. “We want to create something that will resonate with readers,” Dodson said.

A version of this article appeared in the 02/10/2020 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Judging a Book by Its Title

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music Rage Against the Machine Adds More Reunion Shows Rage Against the Machine has confirmed that it will headline this year’s Boston Calling Music Festival. Their set is slated for Saturday, May 23, joining previously announced headliners Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The festival takes place at Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, Massachusetts from May 22–24.

Rage has announced that they are also heading the Firefly Music Festival in June. The band will play more reunion shows in the Southwest in March and will then headline two Coachella sets in April. The and has not played together since July 2011.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2020 TThe Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the class of 2020. Whitney Houston, the Notorious B.I.G., Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, T. Rex, and the Doobie Brothers will be inducted into the Rock Hall on May 2. The ceremony will take place in Cleveland, OH and broadcast live on HBO. In a released statement, Trent Reznor said: “A sincere THANK YOU goes out to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voting body—it always feels great to be recognized for your artistic efforts and I am honored. Many congratulations to this year’s fellow inductees (DM finally!)— see you back in Cleveland where it all began for me!”

Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode had both been nominated multiple times; however, this is the first year that Whitney, T. Rex, and the Doobies were considered. Notably, Notorious B.I.G was the only artist who was nominated in his first year of eligibility (25 years after an artist’s first commercial release).

“I remember distinctly saying to myself, among other things, how can I even take this awards ceremony seriously if they’ll open their doors to X, Y and Z and not acknowledge the Cure,” Reznor said. “Let’s just say I’ve never been as happy to eat my words as I was tonight,” said Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2019 was Radiohead, the Cure, Janet Jackson, Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, and the Zombies. On January 1, Rolling Stone and Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner stepped down as chairman.

Janet Jackson Announces Summer Tour Janet Jackson has officially announced that she will be hitting the road this summer with her new “Black Diamond World Tour.” The shows will feature music from a soon-to-be-released album called Black Diamond, as well as “a special performance of Rhythm Nation 1814,” according to a press release.

The nominees who weren’t inducted this year include Soundgarden, Motörhead, Dave Matthews Band, MC5, Kraftwerk, Thin Lizzy, Pat Benatar, Rufus with Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, and Judas Priest. DMB were the winners of this year’s Rock Hall fan vote.

Two recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors non-musician industry professionals including songwriters, producers, record executives, and others has also been announced.

Jon Landau, the journalist and producer best known for his production work with Bruce Springsteen, is one recipient. The other is Irving Azoff, CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment.

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Jackson’s tour begins in June. On The Tonight Show, Jackson talked about the new album’s title in her interview with Jimmy Fallon. “It’s the toughest of the stones—of the diamonds—to cut. And I heard that immediately as it’s hardest to hurt and destroy. And I’ve come to realize in recent years that I’m incredibly strong. I see myself as this rock.”

Janet Jackson’s last new album, Unbreakable, was released in October 2015. She reissued Rhythm Nation 1814 last year to celebrate its 30th anniversary.”

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exhibits & events Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation April 5–August 2, 2020

music, driving the now-global popularity of hip-hop culture.

The Museum of Fine Arts Boston (Gallery LG31) will discuss the post-graffiti moment in 1980s New York City that marked the transition of street art from city walls and subway trains onto canvas and into the art world. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960– 1988) became the galvanizing, iconic frontrunner of this transformational and insurgent movement in contemporary American art, which resulted in an unprecedented fusion of creative energies that defied longstanding racial divisions. This exhibition features his works in painting, sculpture, drawing, video, music, and fashion, alongside works by his contemporaries—and sometimes collaborators—A-One, ERO, Fab Five Freddy, Futura, Keith Haring, Kool Koor, LA2, Lady Pink, Lee, Rammellzee, and Toxic. Throughout the 1980s, these artists fueled new directions in fine art, design, and

“Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation” illuminates how this group’s subversive abstractions of both visual and verbal language— including neo-expressionism, freestyle sampling, and wildstyle lettering—rocketed their creative voices onto the main stages of international art and music. It is the first major exhibition to contextualize Basquiat’s work in relation to his peers associated with hip-hop culture. It also marks the first time Basquiat’s extensive, robust, and reflective portraiture of his Black and Latinx friends and fellow artists has been given prominence in scholarship on his oeuvre. Notable among those works is the much-revered painting Hollywood Africans, which lionizes Toxic and Rammellzee, the legendary artist/philosopher who is also represented with multiple works in “Writing the Future,” and with whom Basquiat

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Basquiat.

created the prophetic, influential, and talismanic rap song “Beat Bop.” The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue produced by MFA Publications, edited by co-curators Liz Munsell, the MFA’s Lorraine and Alan Bressler Curator of Contemporary Art, and writer and musician Greg Tate.

exhibits & events VOLTA New York Moves to New Location VOLTA New York is scheduled to be held March 4-8, 2020 at its new location, Metropolitan West. VOLTA showcases contemporary positions by up-and-coming and mid-career artists with an emphasis on discovery, both for the curious newcomer and for the seasoned collector alike. By spotlighting artists through solo projects and tightly-curated presentations, VOLTA encourages exhibitors to present serious gallery shows, while refocusing the fair-going experience back on its most fundamental point: the artists and their works.

Yaw Owusu Cover everything else, except US 2019, Steel plate, aluminum foil, gold leaf, American pennies, 48 in. diameter.

Presented by Gallery 1957, Accra.

Reflecting its boutique roots, the New York exhibitor list will feature 54 from 35 cities and five continents.

These “extended family” galleries include: Jonathan Ferrara Gallery (New Orleans), presenting a solo project by celebrated American sculptor Paul Villinski, renowned for his signature found-steel butterfly sculptures, his ambitious public works projects, and his Emergency Response Studio, created to house displaced artists post-Hurricane Katrina and first exhibited at Prospect.1 New Orleans; Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery (Santo Domingo), presenting breakout Spanish duo Los Bravú, who imbue their candid, social Pop portraiture with elements of the colonial past, inherited from their 2019 residencies in Senegal, Cádiz,

Emma Bennett Sorrow sits here 2019, Oil on oak panel, 25 x 20 cm.

Presented by Charlie Smith London, London.

and the Dominican Republic; Léna & Roselli Gallery (Budapest), presenting a study in figurative and metaphysical contrast between Hungarian painter Mózes Incze and Carrara marble sculptor Boldi; The Cynthia Corbett Gallery (London), presents recent works by two of the gallery’s premiere photography artists, Fabiano Parisi and Isabelle Van Zeijl; and The Flat – Massimo Carasi (Milan), presenting a thesis on translating ageless tradition with contemporary precision across 2- and 3D space, via Hiva Alizadeh, Paolo Cavinato, and Leonardo Ulian.

First-time exhibitors to VOLTA span the globe and artistic discipline, including strong outings by: Gallery 1957 (Accra), showcasing Yaw Owusu in a solo project built around the young artist’s socioeconomic concerns in contemporary Ghana; Marquee Projects (Bellport, NY), unveiling an installation and re-imagined studio space of the late artist, critic, poet, and performance

Paul Villinski Wave (left) 2017, Found aluminum cans, gold leaf, wire, 60H x 144W x 7D in.

Presented by Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans.

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artist John Perreault x-ist (Istanbul), debuting new series “Wasteland” by Ansen Atilla, underscoring the Turkish artist’s ecological concerns as we enter further into the 21st century and Roya Khadjavi Projects (New York), presenting a focused view on Iran’s contemporary art scene and its cultural Diaspora, with hand-fired painted reliefs by Aida Izadpanah, video projection on paintings by twins Safarani Sisters, and mosaic Pop sculptures by Shirin Hosseinvand, in tandem with celebrated photographer Arman.

Returning galleries build VOLTA’s foundation as a venue for artistic discovery, with highlights including: Cohju Contemporary Art (Kyoto), presenting

Hiva Alizadeh Untitled No. 14 - Nomad Chants 2019, Synthetic hair on canvas, 125 x 93 x 3 cm.

Presented by The Flat – Massimo Carasi, Milan.

a solo project by Ryo Shinagawa, whose practice combines a studious discipline to and an energetic experimentation toward Japan’s classical Rimpa movement; Mark Hachem (Paris/Beirut), presenting three perspectives on figuration in the 21st century, via Hussein Madi, Ghazi Baker, and Wolfgang Stiller; Galerie Wenger (Zurich), presenting an immersive and site-specific vinyl and alu-dibond installation by American artist Katy Ann Gilmore; Charlie Smith London (London), portraying the emotive, mysterious, and adaptable power of the color black in painting, via a group project featuring Emma Bennett, Florian Heinke, Sam Jackson, Concha Martinez Barreto, Alex Gene Morrison, and Barry Thompson.

For the full list of exhibitors, go to

Live Painting, Fantasy, and Geometric Forms

M

organ Mandala is a live painter born and raised outside of Chicago, Illinois, but has lived in Colorado for more than a decade. In addition to being known for her live paintings, Morgan’s style encompasses imagery of fantasy, naturalism and geometric forms.

Q: When did you become interested in art?

A: I became interested in art as a young child. After seeing my older brother, I started to draw, and it became a constant pastime. Since about 3 years old, my mom would bring a pen for me wherever we went, and I would draw things from life and copy drawings from books on napkins and scrap paper. Art was something I loved to do alone,

with other people, and it was a way to connect and interact with different environments. Seeing my improvement with practice gave me a sense of self-accomplishment. Family and friends seemed to enjoy and encourage my interest in drawing, music, and other art forms, which further persuaded my continuation of it.

Q: When did you know you wanted to become a painter?

A: I’ve always enjoyed and been fascinated with all types of art and human expression. We are unique in our ability to consciously create, and I was always interested in indulging this very human instinct.

Growing up in Chicago, my life was void of nature, full of all kinds of people, and I often felt disconnected. Art was my savior during dark times. Drawing, sculpture, photog-

ArtDiction | 14 | January/February 2020

Canna Buddha, painted live by Morgan Mandala & Randal Roberts at Denver’s 1st legal Cannabis Cup. 48x48�acrylic on canvas, 2013.

She of the Jade Skirt, Morgan Mandala, 36� diameter acrylic on canvas, 2015.

raphy, and music were all strong contenders to take the place of painting in my life when I had to make the decision to focus. It was very difficult to narrow my creative loves so that I could devote my time towards being a professional at one of them.

I was especially interested in painting at first because I could not paint nearly as well as I could draw.

This made me want to get better.

I knew I could spend a lifetime improving and exploring with medium of paint. There were so many tex-

tures, colors, and forms in painting that I could not create in my drawings, but, like drawing, the medium of painting still felt direct enough to have an uninterrupted handeye flow of thought-expression.

Paintings are also sturdy, movable piece of art that can be rolled and re-stretched, which allows for more freedom to move around art with ease and less concern for damage.

Painting seemed to be a wonderful mix of elements that I felt were important to incorporate into my future; a meditative practice and a form of expression that was

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Eye of Poseidon, Morgan Mandala

contained enough to bring almost anywhere with little effort.

Q: What is your educational background?

A: I have a double BFA in Painting and Art History with a Minor in Philosophy from Colorado State University. My focus in Art History was indigenous art from around the world. I had special interest in Mysticism and Religious philosophy throughout the world, noticing how all early “art” was an integral part of. All of these influences continue to inform how I approach my paintings.

Q: When did you develop an interest in performance painting?

A: Many of my friends and room-

mates were musicians, and since High School, I would often draw and paint during friends’ band practices. I always loved creating art to music (especially live music!). My friends thought it would be a nice visual element on stage to have me make a painting during their concert. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun, and so it began!

Q: What was your first experienced like with performance painting?

Where were you? What did you paint? Were you nervous?

A: My first experience live painting was on stage at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins, Colorado, 2008.

I was somewhat nervous, but I knew that as a painter, my back would be turned to the crowd, and that brought some comfort. Not

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having faces looking at me feels less abrasive, but the energy of the crowd and knowing their eyes were on my painting commanded action with no time to think. I was painting a primarily green mandala, inspired by the geometry of cell division and growth. This painting was one of my first non-representational paintings, and one of my first Mandala paintings. The experience was exhilarating. I was so jazzed up that just before the encore, I tried to adjust my easel, and my light came crashing down, breaking on stage, while my painting nearly fell on top of me. I was mortified! Luckily not too many people noticed, so I immediately got off stage after securing the painting. I still had a great time, and I learned an important lesson about having a secure setup!

Q: What’s the hardest part about performance painting?

A: There are different challenges depending on if I am performance painting outdoors or indoors...

The most challenging part of performance painting outside is working with the environment and anticipating all possible situations that you could encounter in any given place. Whether it’s rain, wind, or sun, the elements directly affect the performance, installation, and the painting. This involves a lot of preparation and anticipation for lighting, how the paint dries on the surface, and how much the painting surface may need shelter or structural reinforcements. While this can be difficult, and takes a lot of experience to navigate, I find

it fun and fascinating to overcome these situations and be able to prepare for them. These challenges also provide opportunity for incredible things to happen during a performance that could not be expected or repeated in a controlled situation. These difficult aspects are often what force me into creative breakthroughs, and very special paintings.

The most challenging part of performance painting indoors usually has to do with having limited time.

Often times, the indoor events may only last one or two days with limited hours. If I am doing a one-night performance, a plan needs to be devised for a large painting that is executable within a few hours’ time frame, and can be seen by people that may be a hundred rows back into the crowd. I like to have the painting performance be entertaining and constantly changing for a crowd. I think it’s also important for the flow and completed-ness of the painting to correspond to the music and acts that are simultaneously performing, so a loose plan that has a lot of wiggle room for environmental influence is essential.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of performance painting?

A: I always say I paint best when I don’t think. In the studio, it can take about three hours to get into that flow. The most rewarding part of performance painting is being forced to paint without thinking, and make big moves. The energy of the crowd gets you energized and moving. Once I can get into the flow, I try to transmute that energy

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into the painting. Even though moments seem to stretch out, you feel like you can’t paint fast enough. Every time I am done performing, I am always surprised at how much more finished the painting looks than if I had spent the same amount of time in a studio. On stage, there’s no time for my mind to interrupt with doubts. Trusting and continuing to move forward with the painting is the only option.

It’s similar to jamming in music—you have to just go with the flow, and trust that your heart knows which notes to play.

When you’re done, the experience of the crowd, the music, and the energy is encapsulated in your painting. For me, that special souvenir is one of the most rewarding things, but I also love and value hearing the crowd’s experiences and interpretations of the performance and the painting. If I am collaborating, the most rewarding thing is successfully creating something that is different, bigger, and better than what we could have created alone.

Q: What inspires you creatively?

A: I think all things inspire me creatively; the ups and downs of life, nature, music, culture, and experiences. Our connection with nature and the world around us is a running theme in my art from the macro to the microcosm. On a cellular level and below, we are made of what we call “nature”. In our minds we tend to separate ourselves from the natural world, so I love to try and visually break those boundaries in my paintings.

I am also inspired my different cultures’ beliefs, traditions, symbols, and religious beliefs, all which directly influence their respective art and how they view the world. I am inspired by studying and witnessing an array of traditions’ individual forms of expression, but I am most interested in the common thread that sews them all together. I’m intrigued by archetypes and ideas that correspond to other separate traditions.

In my paintings, I often try to create a more structuralist view of themes expressed throughout the human race. Meditation and visualizations are practices I use that I have learned throughout my studies, and I would highly recommend them as a creative person. Taking these archetypes and practices (after digesting them) has also inspired me to practice lucid

dreaming and recording my dreams for visual imagery and interpretation.

Having the chance to collaborate with others while performance painting is not only incredible inspiring, but allows for work and breakthroughs in your artistic expression as well as becoming a better person. Working with someone you love and trust can create visual problems and lessons that you could have never been confronted with. Through collaboration, I’ve learned how to intimately work and communicate with other people, as well as learning their painting style and tools. I’ve been forced at times to truly let go of attachments, painting over work, and doing what’s necessary to create something that is a vision greater than just my own.

Q: What are your absolute favorite art tools?

A: I use mostly Liquitex and Golden acrylic paints, but I love Nova paints for larger scale work. I prefer synthetic brushes, and my favorite brush shape award has to go to the angle shader. I occasionally use filberts, liner brushes, and I love the x-tra large flat Liquitex brushes for murals (4+up inches).

I often employ a compass, protractor, ruler, and chalk line for large scale mandalas and geometry. I had mixed feelings about using tools in my paintings at first, but the end result always looks better when key points are accurate (especially when working with symmetrical subject matter). If you have the tools, use them!

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

A: Make 100 paintings (... or songs, or sculptures) to find your voice as an artist. Don’t be afraid to mess things up or create art you don’t like; it’s the best way to learn and expel unwanted feelings and ideas that needed to come out. See your art as a meditation, or a practice. Creation is a peaceful practice.

When creating art, try to create a safe space with your own rituals to develop a non-attached, playful, creative indulgence leaving judgements outside the room.

For more information and to see more of Morgan’s work, visit www.morganmandala.com.

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WOWZA!, Performance painting collaboration with Morgan Mandala, Mr.Melty, & Randal Raberts created at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, NM, 2016. 36x48� acrylic on canvas, 2017.

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Morgan working on a performance collaboration at Threyda in Denver, CO 2017.

Electric Forest. Performance painting collaboration with Morgan Mandala and Randal Roberts from Electric Forest 2015. 4ftx6ft acrylic on canvas.

30x40” acrylic on canvas, 2020.

“Meditation and visualizations are practices I use that I have learned throughout my studies, and I would highly recommend them as a creative person.”

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Ancient Initiation, Morgan Mandala, 36� diameter acrylic on canvas, 2011

c

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Music in the Digital Age T

he digital age has greatly impacted the world of Performance Arts. This is especially true in how audiences consume this art form. The digital age has allowed for the mass consumption of music, movies, Internet video sensations and various other forms of performance art in our times. It is important to analyze both the benefits and the negative impacts this technology has brought while forcing the artistic world to conform to its principles.

Accessibility The most beneficial impact of digital music is it accessibility.

Instantaneous acquisitions and seamless transaction define this way of attaining music and other art forms. Music stores are essentially a thing of the past as on-demand entertainment reaches across all spans of entertainment.

However, such instantaneous gratification comes with a price.

Although this accessibility has saved time and energy in acquiring this music, it is just as important to examine the quality of the music that’s being produced. YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and other social media outlets provide a means for any person (even one without talent) to introduce his or her art form in a digital form. However, this may present a challenge when in search of high-quality music. We are now forced to muddle through all the poor performances that before, were not available and were filtered out by the past conventional means of producing music.

By Kariri Gaita

it can do and add specific performance. The energy of the crowd and its contribution to the performance art should never be underestimated and certainly not eliminated from the equation. Imagine what the music would have sounded like in certain concerts such as Woodstock and Live Aid or lollapalooza festivals if these performances were taking place in a studio with no audience? Duplicating the concert hall is nearly impossible in any home studio or car or anywhere else where one might want to listen to music.

Professional music acts understand the need to tour and play their music in front of other people in order to make a living.

On the other hand, streaming a live concert from the comfort of your home is now possible thanks to digital technology. Streaming reaches a larger audience and can have a significant payoff to artists as they make both money and names on these live-streamed concerts.

While noting the importance of the accessibility of digital music, it is also wise to take in consideration the effects of the quality of the music that this process is undergoing.

As with all change, there are pros, and there are cons.

Digitizing music makes it more accessible and artists can reach a wider range of listeners. But, many will agree that the quality of music has and will continue to decline as the digital space becomes flooded with self-promoters.

Technology is not going anywhere and will continue to advance. I’m curious to see how it will continue to impact music and other areas of performing arts

Live Performances Comparing a recorded piece of music to a live performance of music demonstrates the impact of live energy and what

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Flamenco, Jazz, and Everything in Between

N

uria Martin Fandos is a professional dancer, choreographer and dance educator originally from Barcelona, Spain. She started ballet training at the age of four, but her passion for art of dance may have started even before she had an awareness of it. “My parents have always shared with me that I was the kind of baby that did not want to sleep or eat, and the only solution to calm me down was the sound of Spanish and Flamenco dance that came from the TV,” Nuria explains.

Dance is also a shared generational experience for Nuria, and it’s always been a part of her family. “My grandmother studied Spanish Dance at the same Conservatory that I would study Contemporary Dance years later, and my aunt has always been interested in

dance and studied for a long period of her life.”

Nuria received her training at The Royal Academy of Dance (London, UK). “While I was training in classical dance, I started to be curious in other specialties, and I added Spanish Dance, Flamenco, Jazz, and Contemporary to my weekly training,” she recalls. “Having the exposure to many different dance techniques and styles opened my mind to different cultures, music, and movement language and helped me get a better understanding of self that led me to get the Contemporary Dance Degree of Institut del Teatre/CPD in Barcelona.”

She later received her Certificate Program in Contemporary Dance at Peridance Capezio Center in New York with a Full Scholarship from the Certamen Intl. Ciutat de Barcelona in 2013.

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“It is almost like you both share the same breathing frequency, the same nerves or expectations about the magic that will happen in just a few seconds.�

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Nuria admits that being a dancer has its challenges.

“The hardest part of being a dancer is the persistence that it takes to get to the place that you thought of yourself as an artist,” she explains. “The energy that is needed every single day to make art, to continue training that we need for our main tool, our body, because this does not stop evolving and we need to continuously train it in the ways that we want to make it operate for our art. The balance between the other “regular” aspects of life like eating schedules, social life, budgeting, planning and organizing and the inspiration and prioritizing the time to create, rehearse and make art.

But along with the challenges of being a dancer comes many rewards. “The most rewarding part of being a dancer is that moment when you step foot on the stage, seconds before the lights go on, where you as a dancer and the audience are met in the same

place and time, a moment of stillness, quietness, calm,” Nuria says. “It is almost like you both share the same breathing frequency, the same nerves or expectations about the magic that will happen in just a few seconds.”

Nuria says that her heart starts racing, and her palms start sweating at the five-minute call before the show starts. “I get a bit of tingling from my toes to the tips of my hair but I know, at the bottom of my heart, that these same sensations are the ones that are going to push me to give the best of me on that stage, for that performance and audience,” she says. “These nerves are so strong for maybe less than five minutes, but as soon as I am on the stage and the lights, music, and choreography goes on . . . all of this tingling goes away and my mind and body come together as one so I can proceed with my performance.”

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Nuria is also known for her work with MICHIYAYA Dance. “She first began working with the contemporary dance theater company in Fall 2015 before dance became an integral part of the organization. “After the premiere of Project V (5) in the spring of 2016, they created the [dance] company, and they invited me to be one of the founding members. I have been the rehearsal director of MICHIYAYA Dance for three full seasons, performing in hundreds of shows in New York and the Tri-State area.”

every human is already someone special, and we are not meant to follow the path that someone else has chosen. “There is something great in this world waiting for each one of us, as artists and human beings. We just need to give time, research, learn, fall down, and be wrong to find who are we and our professional and personal limits.”

For more information about Nuria, please go to www.nuriamartinfandos.com.

Nuria’s encourages aspiring dancers to listen to their heart. She says: “Stop focusing attention on the outsiders, on what people tell you to do, on what the dance world wants you to be.” She believes that

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“Stop focusing attention on the outsiders, on what people tell you to do, on what the dance world wants you to be.�

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William Shakespeare’s

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Globe Theatre

By Cody Perkins

T

he Globe Theatre in London was William Shakespeare’s creative home for much of his illustrious career as a playwright. Plans for The Globe began with a land dispute between Shakespeare’s acting company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and their landlord. The acting company originally performed almost exclusively in The Theatre, but a problem with the lease motivated the playwright and his actors to build and operate their own venue. After some trickery that included taking apart The Theatre and sneaking the building materials across the River Thames, Shakespeare and his colleagues succeeded in securing a lease on the original site. They reassembled The Theatre, renamed it The Globe, and proceeded to write and perform some of the most famous plays in history.

The Globe opened in 1599, with Shakespeare and his lead actor, Richard Burbage, as main shareholders. The first performance was of Shakespeare’s historical epic, Julius Caesar. The theatre was built on a brick foundation with a heavy timber frame, walls of plaster mixed with cow hair, and a thatched roof of reeds. The Globe’s sign featured Hercules holding a globe on his shoulders.

The design was similar to other popular theatres in London during the Elizabethan period, including The Swan and The Rose. These playhouses were in the Southwark neighborhood of London on the bank of the Thames. Other outdoor playhouses, indoor theaters, bear-baiting pavilions, and taverns made the neighborhood the center of London’s nightlife.

expensive tickets secured audience members in covered seats and benches around the outer walls.

Lord Chamberlain’s Men was able to amaze its audiences with special effects built into the design of The Globe. A covered area over the stage was called the Heavens and concealed simple equipment to create sound effects like thunder, censer for burning powders to produce smoke, and pulley systems that could be used to “fly in” actors on ropes. On stage, actors could drop gunpowder onto candles to create flashes of lightning or fire replica cannons. However, during a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII in 1613, a cannon ignited the thatch roof, burning The Globe to the ground.

Shakespeare and his colleagues rallied, raised funds, and rebuilt The Globe the following year.

Shakespeare died in 1616, but The Globe continued to be popular with London’s audiences for another generation. Once Puritans took control of the English government, they outlawed all public performances and closed playhouses like The Globe. The last play was performed in 1642.

A modern replica of The Globe was built in 1997 by American actor Sam Wanamaker. This new theatre sits several hundred feet from the original site and seats about half the number of spectators. The rest of the design stays true to the original Globe Theatre.

The Globe could hold an audience of about three thousand, and Shakespeare’s play regularly drew members of every social class. The cheapest seats were actually areas in an open-air yard in the center of the amphitheater. These people, who stood closest to the stage and often interacted with the actors, were known as “groundlings.” More

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artist & ad index Page C2 Arteza arteza.com Page 11 New York Foundation for the Arts https://www.nyfa.org

Page 12 VOLTA New York https://ny.voltashow.com/ Page 14 Morgan Mandala morganmandala.com Page 30 Nuria Martin Fandos nuriamartinfandos.com Page C3 La Luz de Jesus Gallery https://laluzdejesus.com/ Page C4 Jackson’s Art Supplies www.jackson.com

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laluzdejesus.com

https://www.jacksonsart.com