THE LOST ISSUE
On The Cover
de Rumbo de Rumba helps the Young Roots Performance Series Bloom
Melrose - As the first part of the Young Roots Performance Series, de Rumbo de Rumba was beyond the obvious from the very beginning. Instead of the audience being let into the theater the old-fashioned way, we were led down a remote stairway and through several corridors that left a few of us feeling “this may be the end.” Once we arrived at the area where we would turn in our tickets, we were told to remain quiet throughout the duration of the performance. Yes, that meant absolutely NO cell phones were to be on. And, since it was going to be a live recording, there was no photography permitted by the audience. The area that we were led into for seating seemed very familiar and mostly black in color. And, unbeknownst to most of the viewers, the actual star of the performance was wandering about as if she hadn’t decided where she should sit. When the doors finally closed, there was absolute silence from the gathering.
Then, dressed in a red shirt, black pant and white, belted jacket, Noemi Segarra began to slowly walk around and observe her captive audience. As she surveyed the room, she paused to look at each individual and seemingly smiled and laughed. But, with each consecutive person tears began streaming down Segarra’s face and, what initially seemed to be smiles of laughter were actually tears of joy from seeing friends and family she hadn’t seen in a long time. Once this passed, with a spotlight fixated on her, Segarra began walking the perimeter of the stage around the audience and into a jog. As she removed her jacket, she began running steadily. Then, she removed her fuschia t-shirt followed by her red tank top while she ran. She paused only to remove her black pants and later her shoes until she was barefoot running at a steady pace in only a black bra and panties. You could hear her rhythmic motion as the crowd remained still. With only the light from a five-foot fixture at the center of the stage, the egg timer she was using sounded off and triggered Segarra throwing herself into the golden mat on the floor, leaping tiredly into it. The sound of her breathing grew as she continuously attempted landing on the 24" x 60" mat covered in a gold striped sheet. Although she grew weaker and weaker, she persisted. With the next sound of the egg timer, Segarra could barely get up long enough to finally turn off the light in what seemed a drunken stupor while she panted.
In the next sequence, the pulsating rhythm of drums began thanks to the talented musician Henry Cole. As his beats permeated through the space, a large curtain lifted and revealed our location to anyone who didn’t realize we were on the actual stage. We were no longer the audience; we were participants. Background music added, the drummer stood up and moved out into the stage utilizing a snare drum, drummer’s brush and chairs in order to accompany Segarra’s dance movements. Her dancing slowly became much more intense. As she danced faster, the drums followed with a fury. Even the hand slapping on his Cole's knees and hand clapping were used to create simple and effective percussion before breaking into the drums again. Seeming exhausted with the dance, she began pacing the interior and started running the perimeter of the stage around the audience once again with a spotlight following her until she moved inside the stage racing into a violent frenzy with a suffering look of tiredness and only the blue morning light stating “the night had ended, but the dawn was being revealed.” The sounds became more tribal until the lights dimmed and, hence, Segarra’s and Cole’s percussive claps to each other introduced the audience to “applause.” And, well deserved it was.
A Q&A following the performance allowed the audience to get a handle on the process. Segarra explained that her “quest—Rhumba—is how to make structure for improvisation from what she does.” She stated that the “tool is a timer, the structure is a container.” In this case, the container was the stage. "It’s totally about reacting to who you see, hear, feel based on the tools you have," said Segarra. "The more tools you have, the more you react. The more tools you have, the wider the range of expression. African sensibilities. Improvisation? I don’t know what I’m doing; I’m going to BE it. For three minutes, I seek eye contact; three minutes for how to deal; and three minutes for dealing with it. Sometimes it feels like we’re dancing more freedom when dancing on stage." While she dances, she tries “not to look at it like a story." Instead, she tries "to look at it like an experience." Said Segarra, "The ‘throwing’ has a meaning to me but I want you to have your own experience.”
The lighting designer Dave Overcamp explained, “I took out all the party colors and some range of sunlight, nighttime or sky, because it's such an abstract space we’re creating. I’ve worked a week with Henry and ten years with Noemi. Each night was different with the expansiveness of the theater. She picks the movement with the most drama to the tension of the inventions of theater and found out how to dazzle.”
This collaboration created all the ease and tensions of a great novel leaving me wanting more at the end. Although the doors opened to allow the audience to exit the stage, I remained seated as if someone would come along to hand me the invitation to a sequel. Even though that never occurred, my level of anticipation for this event was completely fulfilled. And that initial feeling some may have felt easily changed as we realized that this was just the beginning.
Information on de rumbo de rumba can be found HERE. For more information on the Young Roots Performance Series click HERE.
On The Cover
Protecting Your Image
Melrose - Having worked in a copyright and trademark research company with a talented group of lawyers, I was fortunate enough to learn quite a bit about the topic over a four year period. This along with over a decade of attending a multitude of workshops dedicated to filling out forms, registering designs and dealing with renewals has provided me with enough information to be able to share that knowledge with others in order to help them begin the process of registering a copyright or trademark. But, no matter how many times I've attended a workshop or class, there's always something new to learn.
The most recent workshop that took place at the Longwood Arts Gallery at Hostos Community College was similar to many I've taken before. Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto was represented by six lawyers who shared their knowledge of the copyright and trademark laws with the audience. They handed out basic guides to the laws about the topic. Beginning with examples of a word mark and design intended to be registered, the lawyers walk you through the two separate handouts--one dedicated to copyright and the other to trademark--while utilizing a PowerPoint presentation. Although they were able to answer many of the questions posed during the workshop, it felt a bit stagnant and dry typical of workshops of this nature. The interaction was pretty straightforward and one-sided. They explained the similarities and differences between the two commonly confused types of marks. They also cited various legal proceedings involving copyright and trademark disputes, the timeline of their registration and ownership and the ramifications of not registering original marks and designs.
But, one thing that was a bit disconcerting was that the workshop seemed to cater much more to a businees clientele. In fact, the artistic individuals responsible for creating all those interesting and memorable logos and sound bytes for businesses seemed few and far between in the audience. What I quickly realized was that a lack of advertising may have played a key role in creating a forum where the larger percentage of attendees were business owners based on all the comments made and the lack of artists actually asking key questions about how to register their creative work in order to protect themselves. Instead, this group's questions were more focused on how to utilize the copyright and trademark laws to manipulate the use of the designs that artists have created or will create for their businesses in order to prevent having to pay out royalties.
This being said, there were many questions that would have created a much larger discussion about the rights of the artists if more artists were indeed present. Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto was able to conduct this important service to the Bronx community but, unfortunately, the lack of service to the group of people that should have been served was completely dismissed.
Although it was disappointing for me in that aspect, I actually feel empowered to have been present for the event. Now, I can share this with other interested artists to help motivate them into taking a workshop on this subject to prevent businesses from abusing the artist's rights. I'm hoping that the next event on copyright and trademark will be advertised much more in advance and in a manner that would allow a much larger presence of artists to participate.
On The Cover
Let The Festivities Continue
Westchester Square - Every year Bronx Week touts many events helping the community expand. And this year was no exception. With Bronx Council on the Arts beginning to transition into their new home which will be located in Westchester Square within a space previously occupied by a Washington Mutual bank, the organization set off the Bronx Week Festival by embracing its new location to reach out to the community and take steps toward improved relations with Bronxites.
Hundreds of vendors, artists, performers and patrons were present to help start the event off right including notable Bronx artists Ray Felix, Daniel DelValle and Sean Paul Gallegos showing and selling their work. Felix was representing Bronx Heroes Comics and selling their variously titled publications including Bronx Heroes and Runaway Slave. DelValle was selling small, numbered prints of his work. And, Gallegos was easily running out of his large handcrafted bags made of colorful fabrics that he also sells online.
Amongst the vendors were hat makers $ Man and A.J.Sister Black of Official Native Head Gear with their one-of-a-kind creations. There was also a paperclay beadmaking class taught by ceramicist Gail Sharbaan being held at the Huntington Free Library. Anybody who has taken a class with her knows that she's very helpful and creates a very positive environment for learning. Books and postcards touting historical images of the beautiful Bronx were available to purchase through The Bronx County Historical Society. And, speaking of books, local author Wanda Thomas was selling her self-published books about positive self awareness called Beautiful Me and Handsome Me, both illustrated by John Higgins and available for purchase online.
On the other end of the spectrum, there was face painting, a balloon castle and pony rides for the kids. MetroOptics Eyewear was giving free vision screenings to the public. Live music was a mixture of many different sounds and included the street corner voices of Little Italy's very own Streets of the Bronx Band led by Butch Barbella, formerly of The Earls and The Duprees. A CD packed with the sounds of local Bronx musicians and singers was being handed out for free courtesy of the New York Daily News. Genres of music include rock, rap, jazz, latin and doo wop. And, the scent of all kinds of delicious food wavered in the air. It was a great time to be out and about. I'm looking forward to next year's event when BCA will have finally taken residence and begun to take root.
On The Cover
Seeing Beyond Sexuality
Melrose - Even though a black curtain blocked off the project space at Longwood Art Gallery, Eye Am a Man remained open to the general public. One may look inside and just see "gay art." But, what's quite clear in the show is that the work not only transcends that view, but it is also created from struggle, emotion and pride.
Artwork depicting these ideas was demonstrated through comic book art, painting, illustration, photography, sculpture and installation. The range of styles allowed a broad range of viewers to engage in a diversified conversation involving politics, romance, war and teen angst. Three of the artists showing interesting work were Harry Medina, Ivan Velez, Jr. and Joseph Radoccia.
Harry Medina created small superhero-like figures using sculpey and acrylic over toys. These modified figures of muscle bound men are touting their hulk-like strengths in aggressive positions, some of which are painted green. Although they are displayed in a case such as those used in a comic book shop, the congregation of similarly fashioned characters creates a community-like setting. CLICK HERE for an Interview with Harry Medina.
Ivan Velez, Jr. who’s EYE AM A MAN project is dispersed throughout the space greets visitors at the reveal of the black curtain with an illustrated figure upon the wall. The young man who’s donning a cape is covering his genitals and has homophobic slurs written on several parts of his body in red including the word “PATO”—a derogatory Spanish slang word for homosexual. He also had comic book panels from his story Tales of the Closet #5 which depict a young man in conflict with accepting his gay life.
And, then there is Twilight of Sisyphus and A Personal Matter, works by Joseph Radoccia which seem to be inspired by 15th century Asian watercolor portraits. In Twilight of Sisyphus, a winter scene features a nude young male holding tight onto bare trees as if he were to let go, he'd slip and fall off the snow covered cliff. A Personal Matter, in contrast, features a nude young male bound to a small fruit-bearing tree with rope while his left foot is caught in a mouse trap. Both seem to be stating the figures in the paintings are damned by their own realities.
Other notable works were Gachi muchi guys by Chad Boss, Garden of Earthly Delights by La Buruquena and JeanSegarra-Rosa’s oil painting I Am Not A Lesbian.
Featured Artists: Voltaire Balderrama, Chad Boss, La Buruquena, Jennifer Camper, Ricardo Osmondo Francis, Jr., david Goldenberg, Louis Kwong, Steve Macisaac, Harry Medina, Aaron Mustamaa, Kei Otani, Carlo Quispe, Joseph Radoccia, Jean Segarra-Rosa, Soulivanh Thammavong, Ivan Velez, Jr.
On The Cover
The Creative Process Revived
Melrose - Curated by Juanita Lanzo, a broad spectrum of work that fosters renewal was featured in the Longwood Gallery's exhibition Observed, Imagined and Recreated. All of the work in the show is beautiful but three of the artists that captured my attention were Sonjie Feliciano-Solomon, Hong Sean Jang and Heeseop Yoon.
Sonjie Feliciano-Solomon used enamel paint on Plexiglas to create three paintings displayed together to form a triptych—Untitled 20–Water Series, Untitled 21–Water Series and Untitled 25–Water Series. These charcoal-colored abstract paintings appeared to be photographs with droplets of water clinging to them with shadows that moved the viewer to inspect it at many angles doubting the possibility that the work was completely flat. Each work has a unique structure, but Untitled 25-Water Series seemed to be more of a web-like pattern.
In Fungus, Hong Sean Jang utilizes recyled and cut magazine pages to create the type of fungi you would see growing on trees in the woods. It's location in the corner near the entrance of the gallery gives the illusion of a pathway to the elusive array of work in the show. It's definitely an interesting use of a material that is constantly being viewed, scrutinized and recycled much like the mold it represents.
Two works created by Heeseop Yoon give new meaning to stencils and cameos with his large intricately detailed mylar cutouts. The Met—a full-sized depiction of a sculpture-like figure—hangs on the wall with ghost-like fashion and fragility. The female figure represented in the work is leaning on a column as they both rest on a large platform which seems covered by material. Yoon’s other work, The Woodshop, is an even larger piece features a depiction of the interior of a woodworking space. A viewer can almost pass by these works that seem to float against the wall, but are slowly made aware by the shadows created by the lights nearby.
Featured Artists: Golnar Adili, Melissa A. Calderon, Cecile Chong, David Antonio Cruz, Sonjie Feliciano-Solomon, Laura Gadson, Florencio Gelabert, Lisa Iglesias, Hong Seon jang, Tamara Kostianovsky, Jason Lujan, Kimberly Mayhorn, Algernon Miller, Annysa Ng, Shani Peters, Lina Puerta, Heeseop Yoon
On The Cover
POP, POP, POP Music
Harlem, New York - In a remote location in Harlem, a merging of two art forms were presented in a one-day show that mirrored the "POW" and "BANG" of a Max Roach set. Curated by Vanessa Gonzalez and Dominic Salerno, Comic Meets Jazz not only included comic book art by six artists, but it also featured live music by the talented sounds of the Ray Martinez Legacy.
At one side of the spectrum, visual artists from the Bronx and Manhattan began the event with an artist talk, discussing each of their views on their participation, individual relation to and conceivable future in the comic book industry. Ideas supporting the creation and self-publishing efforts of independent comics were a hot topic and encouraged others to take a chance.
Notable artist Delia Gable's pencilled illustrations were full of beautiful depictions of strong female characters featured in Mike Whittenberger's graphic novel A Ninja Named Stan. Gable's characters are voluptuous and sexy similar to the painted figures created by Japanese toymakers. Artists James E. Rodriguez and Michelle St. Martin of Novastar Studios shared their work from The Chronicles of Sara which is published both in English and Spanish. St. Martin also presented panels from her upcoming horror story Mutatia.
Patrons were able to view the artwork displayed around the space and the individual artist's portfolios at the tabled area. They could even purchase some of the artist's published comics as well as question them about their work in general. Being able to view the original artwork of the comic book artists allows the viewer to see its evolution and to get questions answered regarding technique, style and conception of their ideas.
On the other end of the spectrum was Ray Martinez, a well-known bassist and composer that has performed with a variety of legendary Salseros such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Ray Barretto, just to name a few. Born in the Dominican Republic, Martinez began the Ray Martinez Legacy to merge the sounds of Africa and the African Diaspora fusing Jazz, Funk, Blues and Carribean Folk music into something fresh and innovative. And, this is the music he shared with the patrons of this exhibition. It was chock full of organic rhythms and sounds reminiscent of what some have come to know as latin fusion jazz--music that is powerful and engrossing in every way.
It was an excellent combination of media that should've been extended for more than a day to allow for a larger patronage. But, from what I've been told another similar event may be COMING SOON to the Bronx, so keep your eyes and ears open for the Next Issue!!!
Partipating artists included: Delia Gable, Ray Felix, Michelle St. Martin, Xavier Figueroa, James E. Rodriguez, Dominic Salerno and the Ray Martinez Legacy - Ray Martinez, Hector Martignon, Bobby Sanabria, FrankFontaine, Dave Rimelis, Mauricio Herrera.
On The Cover
The Alchemy at Wave Hill
Riverdale - If flowers bloom in the Spring, Wave Hill yields bouquets of art that feed on its natural surroundings. Curated by Raymond Foye and Jennifer McGregor, Alchemy & Inquiry is the resulting magic produced by three very talented artists with the vision to create new bodies of work invoking the spiritual aspects of the garden and heightening the senses for all those that are fortunate to see their results.
Each artist reveals the organic elements tied to their style of creation. In Philip Taaffe's mixed media paintings the images of overlapping plant-life allude to fantastical environments including that of underwater fauna. Colorful distinctly painted leaves appear like screen-printed collages that form unexpectedly gorgeous patterns.
Terry Winters' work in painting and prints may seem somewhat abstract in form, but a careful review of the exhibited work allows one to see beyond that and embrace his interpretation of botanical architecture. Winters creates both his own glyphs and pattetrns that are the emergence of his language.
Where Taffe's and Winter's work can be direct in their execution, one finds a loss of words when viewing Fred Tomaselli's incredibly layered imagery that leave the viewer absorbed in its intricacies. Like the eyes in peacock feathers are multi-dimensional, so are the elements represented in Tomaselli's work which seem to float within the layer's adding a three-dimensional aspect to them.
All three artists bring a different approach to their botanical studies, but one thing that is certainly found in all their work is the intensity of colors and techniques utilized. And why not? It's the only justifiable way to even begin depicting nature in all its beauty and splendor.