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Dick Van Dyke looks sprightly at 97 in rare public outing

By in Photography

Dick Van Dyke looks sprightly at 97 in rare public outing

By Kevin Kayhart For Dailymail.com

Published: 22:39 EST, 19 November 2023 | Updated: 23:01 EST, 19 November 2023

Dick Van Dyke made a special public appearance, alongside his wife Arlene Silver, when they attended the new exhibit featuring the works of his longtime photographer Laura Johansen.

Moments In Time Portraits By Laura Johansen, which focuses on the past decade of Van Dyke’s life, opened on Sunday at Malibu City Hall.

The Mary Poppins legend, who happens to be gearing up for his 98th birthday special for CBS, arrived with family and friends by his side, on what turned out to be another gorgeous Southern California day.

Still looking sprightly, the living legend was first seen driving in the front passenger’s seat with his wife, and then moments later making his way to the entrance doors.

Johansen’s work captured the iconic actor and entertainer during a number of important milestone, such as his Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in 2021.

Legendary entertainer: Dick Van Dyke, 97, still had a pep to his step when he and his wife Arlene Silver, 52, attended the opening of Moments In Time Portraits By Laura Johansen at Malibu City Hall on Sunday

Sporting a full beard and mustache, Van Dyke looked amazing dressed in a tweed blazer with black pants, a white dress shirt, black pants and matching sneakers.

The West Plains, Missouri native looked to be in a grand mood, while walking on his own, with the slight help of a cane, with wife Arlene to his right.

Johansen can be seen walking just behind Van Dyke before and after attending her photo art exhibit. 

Silver, 52, whose now been married with Van Dyke for more than 11 years, was all smiles next to her husband in an all-black ensemble consisting of slacks and a matching plunging top. 

One of his four children, Barry Van Dyke, was also seen lending his support for his father and Johansen’s photography.

The previous couple of days the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star promoted the opening of the exhibit, which went from noon to 2:30pm PT, on his Instagram page.

In the caption he revealed how ‘so many never before seen pictures and prints will be available for purchase.’

A video featuring several pieces from the collection was shared on the actor’s official Instagram page, encouraging fans to come visit the exhibit.

The iconic star of The Dick Van Dyke Show was first spotted arriving in the passenger's seat of his wife's vehicle moments before making their way to the exhibit

Celebration upcoming: Van Dyke is just days away from being celebrated in a CBS special, in recognition of his 98th birthday

Show of support: Van Dyke and Silver can be seen walking just in front of Johansen

Looking good: Sporting a full beard and mustache, the iconic Mary Poppins star looked amazing dressed in a tweed blazer with black pants, a white dress shirt, black pants and matching sneakers

Going strong: The couple have been married for more than 11 years and counting

Family matters: Barry Van Dyke, 72, who's is one of Van Dyke's four adult children, was also on hand to lend his support for the opening

The couple ended up leaving the reception after Van Dyke took some questions for about an hour in the auditorium.

Fans will also be able to celebrate the iconic entertainer’s life and career when CBS airs Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic special, in honor of his 98th birthday.

‘I started with CBS under contract in 1955 with the CBS morning show, then The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder,’ Van Dyke said in a statement, as reported by People, before adding, ‘I’ve been with the CBS family for almost 70 years, and I couldn’t be prouder.’

He continued, ‘I’m incredibly honored that CBS will be throwing a 98th birthday special for me. Can’t wait to be part of the show!’

Promo mode: Van Dyke has been promoting the opening of the exhibit the last couple of days on his Instagram page

For sale: 'Please join us for the opening reception as we celebrate Dick Van Dyke’s personal photographer @alauradesign! So many never before seen pictures and prints will be available for purchase,' the caption read, also asking fans to come dressed in their favorite Dick Van Dyke inspired out

Life in pictures: Moments In Time Portraits By Laura Johansen focuses on the past decade of Van Dyke's life

The focus: Johansen's work captured the iconic actor and entertainer during a number of important milestone events, such as his Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in 2021

Classic: The actor, singer and dancer is best known for a number of role, including the hit CBS series The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966); he plated Rob Petrie with co-stars Rose Marie (Sally Rogers), Mary Tyler Moore (Laura Petrie) and Morey Amsterdam (Buddy Sorrell)

Classic: Van Dyke is also forever recognized for his role in Mary Poppins (1964), alongside co-star Julie Andrews, as well as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

An official description of the special reads: ‘A Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner, Van Dyke has inspired generations of performers and will be honored for his contributions to the arts and entertainment.

‘The tribute will travel back in time to the iconic set of The Dick Van Dyke Show and feature music and dance, performances, special guests and a special holiday number.’

It goes on to add: ‘The two-hour tribute event will also showcase songs and archival footage from the best of his nearly full-century career, encompassing Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more.’

Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic is set to air on Thursday, December 21 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and stream on Paramount+. 

Thai textile artist Jakkai Siributr weaves social commentary into his works

By in Native

Thai textile artist Jakkai Siributr weaves social commentary into his works

Through patchwork, embroidery, beadwork, stitching and adorning them with daily objects such as Thailand’s ubiquitous religious amulets, Jakkai offers different points of view about gender, identity and equality.

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“Silent = Death”, “Come Out Now”, and “We Will Not Be Erased”, works by Jakkai Siributr on loan from the Sunpride Foundation for the exhibition at Chat in Tsuen Wan. Photo: courtesy of Chat

They draw in the eye: the soft colours of glass beads, or the glitter of metallic fabric cut into small squares. Closer up, you realise they depict scenes of violence such as villages destroyed by military attacks.

The heartbreaking series “There’s No Place” greets visitors in the spacious foyer at Chat. Large panels of embroidered cloth, and small patchworks produced by children and adults from displaced communities, reflect the pain of losing their homes.

“Just before Covid, I went to the Thai and Myanmar border, where there is a Shan refugee camp and I conducted embroidery workshops and storytelling to get to know the community,” he says.

He recalls how children, especially, who those had lived through traumatic events, often found it easier to communicate through art.

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“Transient Shelter” (2014) by Jakkai Siributr. Photo: courtesy of Chat

Once Covid erupted, making travel to the border impossible, Jakkai worked with Shan educational organisations in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, where he has a second home.

“I invited people to different workshops, asking them to embroider, in black and white or grey, on the same pieces that were colourfully embroidered by members of the stateless communities, so more privileged people could know about their situation, and get a feeling of working within limitations,” he says.

He pays all those who create art for him, so they are not charity cases, but meaningfully employed.

Other wall hangings are made of pretty beads in deceptively serene, pastel tones.

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“We Will Not Be Erased” (2019), by Jakkai Siributr, on loan from the Sunpride Foundation for the Chat show, depicts the faces of gay activists who have been victims of homophobic attacks. Photo: courtesy of Chat

“See these? From afar, they may look like make-up. But they are bloody marks and bruises,” he says, pointing at a work called We Will Not Be Erased that is among three pieces on loan from Hong Kong’s LGBT-focused Sunpride Foundation.

The portraits are of gay activists who have been victims of homophobic violence.

In a way, Jakkai is playing a trick on his audience, lulling them into thinking there is little to challenge them here. But in fact, he tries to pull two opposites closer together, just as he is hoping to see less divisiveness in the world.

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“T/HK20” (left) and “HK/T20” by Jakkai Siributr hang in the Chat exhibition. Photo: courtesy of Chat

Among his earlier works are reflections on the widespread corruption in some Buddhist institutions. Lucky Ware (2008) is an installation with a beautiful silk patchwork by Jakkai based on an old folk Buddhist painting from Cambodia, with angels, arhats (those who have attained Nirvana) and devotees shading the Buddha with an umbrella as they play instruments, pray, or carry ritual objects.

In front of it, he has placed buckets filled with offerings that represent indulgences the ascetics are not supposed to engage in: cigarettes, condoms, beer, sweets and electronic mosquito killers (which would go against the monks’ ahimsa, or do no harm, vow).

“It really depicts the two worlds of Buddhism,” he says, “the Buddhist principles, right there in the painting, and what they have become in our modern society.”

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Thai artist Jakkai Siributr (left) and Takahashi Mizuki, executive director and chief curator of the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat) at The Mills in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. Photo: courtesy of Chat

Changing Closet invites the public to take selfies while wearing Muslim-style skullcaps (with hidden embroideries on the inside) from the south of Thailand, and military jackets heavy with symbolic embroidery.

Phayao-a-Porter is a new series of second-hand jackets that seem to be little more than a support for some amazing bead embroidery, all laden with social messages that address the environment, corruption and institutional violence.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jakkai created works honouring Thais who had lost their jobs, especially those employed in the tourism and service industries.

In the thick of it: artist’s layered oil paintings convey nature’s many forms

In a show called “Outworn” at Flowers gallery in Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, large wall hangings made from deconstructed and reassembled work uniforms, at times in the shape of surgical masks, recall the social toll of the pandemic.

On top of this cloth collage, Jakkai has attached Thailand’s ubiquitous Buddhist amulets, chains, and round pandemic stickers reminiscent of those handed out to people who passed temperature checks in Thailand.

These are records of the fear and desperation of the time, when science seemed to have failed and everyone had to endure a cycle of calm and anxiety.

In their painful immediacy, these works address the pandemic without rhetoric or cliché. The tapestries record and allow us to process a trauma the whole world has been through.

“Jakkai Siributr: Everybody Wanna Be Happy”, Chat, The Mills, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories. Daily, 11am to 7pm. Until February 13.

“Jakkai Siributr: Outworn”, Flowers Gallery, 49 Tung Street, Sheung Wan, Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm. Until January 6

CRYP Documentary Set to Appear at Shining Mountains Film Festival in Aspen

By in Native

CRYP Documentary Set to Appear at Shining Mountains Film Festival in Aspen
Details
By Native News Online Staff

November 19, 2023

The Cheyenne River Youth Project’s  (CRYP) award-winning documentary film, titled “Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count),” will be an official selection at the 5th annual Shining Mountains Film Festival in Aspen, Colorado next month. Scheduled for Dec. 1-2, the festival is designed to highlight Native voices, causes and life ways.

Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) will appear in the Program 2 film block on Saturday, Dec. 2, which takes place from 2 to 4:30 p.m. All films will be screened at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. 

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CRYP commissioned the film project in 2021, with primary filming taking place during the RedCan invitational graffiti jam that July. The documentary debuted in 2022 and, surprising filmmakers and CRYP staff alike, was accepted into multiple film festivals across the country.

“The film originally was intended to share our CRYP story through the lens of RedCan,” explained Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “As the project moved forward, however, we realized the story was so much bigger than that. It was about the transformative, healing power of art in a Native community.

“The film brings viewers into the heart of our circle here on the Cheyenne River reservation,” she continued. “It allows people who have never experienced Lakota culture or visited an indigenous community to meet our kids, parents and elders, as well as the artists and partners across the country who have become part of our family.” 

To date, Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count has appeared in the 2022 Latino & Native American Film Festival, where it won a Social Impact Award; 2022 Documentary Film Awards, where it won a Gold Award; 2023 Beaufort International Film Festival, where it won the Susan A.K. Shaffer Humanitarian Award; 2023 Black Hills Film Festival; and 2023 Our Heritage, Our Planet Film Week. The Shining Mountains Film Festival will be its sixth appearance on the film festival circuit.

“We never expected that,” Garreau said. “The response to the film has simply blown us away. We’re humbled and honored that our story has resonated with audiences in so many different places.” 

The Shining Mountains Film Festival is sponsored by the Aspen Indigenous Foundation, which began its life in 2005 as the Aspen Ute Foundation. Founder and Executive Director Deanne Vitrac-Kessler met Northern Ute elder Loya Arrum-Cesspooch that year; at his request and with his support, she started the foundation to bring the indigenous presence back to the Roaring Fork Valley and help facilitate the reconnection of the Utes to their ancestral lands. 

Over the years, the foundation has developed more inclusive, broader programs that welcome and involve all Native tribes. It officially changed its name in 2020.

Garreau and Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) filmmakers Richard Steinberger and Joseph Gamble will attend the 2023 Shining Mountains Film Festival, where they have been invited to participate in a Q&A session following the screening of the film.

To see the film schedule and learn more about the official selections, visit shiningmountainsfilm.com. All-access festival passes and tickets for individual film blocks are available through the website.

Those unable to attend can view the film at vimeo.com/lakotayouth. 

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Woxsen School of Arts & Design and UCA, Farnham, illuminate cross-cultural perspectives on Gender & Gesture through Photography Exhibition

By in Photography

Woxsen School of Arts & Design and UCA, Farnham, illuminate cross-cultural perspectives on Gender & Gesture through Photography Exhibition

HYDERABAD, India, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — School of Arts & Design, Woxsen University in collaboration with University for the Creative Arts (UCA), Farnham, UK has organised a thought-provoking 3-day photography exhibition from November 15th to17th. Stemming from the International Photography Seminar hosted in April this year, the exhibition delved into the cross-cultural interpretation of societal expectations surrounding ‘Gender and Gesture.’ This initiative aimed to elicit diverse responses to these themes, fostering a profound understanding of gender roles within a socio-political context.


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Prof. Budaraju Srinivasa Murty, Director of IIT awarding the prize to Sremanth M, School of Arts & Design, Woxsen University.
Prof. Budaraju Srinivasa Murty, Director of IIT awarding the prize to Sremanth M, School of Arts & Design, Woxsen University.
(left to right) Dr. Adity, Dean-School of Arts & Design at Woxsen and Dr. Caroline Molloy from UCA, Farnham during the photography exhibition.
(left to right) Dr. Adity, Dean-School of Arts & Design at Woxsen and Dr. Caroline Molloy from UCA, Farnham during the photography exhibition.

This international collaboration served as a dynamic platform for academicians, Ph.D. scholars, and design/art practitioners to engage in insightful presentations and discussions on the social narrative of gender and gesture. The project, weaving a narrative across different institutions and cultures, will culminate in sharing its findings at the University for Creative Arts, UK, in Spring 2024.

The 3-day photography exhibition, hosted at Woxsen University and IIT Hyderabad, garnered participation from photographers, researchers, students, and the broader design community. This exhibition is part of a larger project with key objectives that include establishing cross-cultural collaboration between universities, involving diverse stakeholders to build a robust social context, exploring opportunities for joint publications, and seeking international funding to create more opportunities for students. This project centers on academic research through practical application, open calls, and active participation, aiming to pioneer innovative methodologies and establish a benchmark in visual research. It views photography not merely as an art form but as a powerful tool for activism and social change. 

Dr. Adity Saxena, Dean-School of Arts & Design at Woxsen University, stated, “This project aims to address a complexity of gender and gesture in a cross cultural context. I am delighted to see the brilliant submissions from India and the UK.”

The inaugural session at Woxsen University featured a talk on ‘Experimental Portraiture Workshop’ by Dr. Caroline Molloy, Programme Director-Fine Art and Photography at UCA Farnham, UK. Dr. Molloy explored the surrealistic narrative created by studio photography in portraying people, culture, and class. At the close of the exhibition, she remarked, “I was amazed to see how the entire event is planned and executed by the faculty and students. This is a true cross-cultural project that connects the wider community.”

Days 2 and 3 of the exhibition, hosted at the IIT Hyderabad campus, were inaugurated by Prof. Budaraju Srinivasa Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad. Notable attendees includeed Deepak John Mathew, from IIT Hyderabad and Advisory Board Member, and Vishnu Ponna, Film Design consultant and Creative Video Director. The external advisory board members of this project include, Dr. Manish Arora from the Dept. of Applied Arts, BHU; Madhukar G, Prof. in Photography, JNAFAU; Nicola Shipley, Director of GRAIN Projects; and Nilupa Yasmin, Lecturer at Coventry University & Studio holder at Grand Union, Birmingham.

The first prize of the 3-day Photography Exhibition was awarded to Vicky Hodgson from University of Creative Arts, receiving 125 USD, and the second prize was secured by Sremanth M, School of Arts & Design, Woxsen University, who received 100 USD.

Prof. Budaraju Srinivasa Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad, exclaimed, “We should do more of such joint projects and support each other through sharing knowledge and guiding the research scholars. We are deeply interested to collaborate in the 2nd phase of the project by involving more students from IIT and Woxsen University.”

This project aligns with the core pillar of Woxsen University emphasizing internationalization through a cross-cultural collaboration, contributes to global research, supports students in navigating complex concepts of diversity, inclusion and gender and will eventually increase the school’s global reach.

About Woxsen University:

Woxsen University, located in Hyderabad, is one of the first private universities of the state of Telangana, India. Renowned for its 200-acre state-of-the-art campus and infrastructure, Woxsen University offers new-age, disruptive programs in the fields of Business, Technology, Arts & Design, Architecture, Law, Sciences and Liberal Arts & Humanities. With 120+ Global Partner Universities and Strong Industry Connect, Woxsen is reckoned as one of the top universities for Academic Excellence and Global Edge. Woxsen is Ranked #101+ Masters in Business Analytics Program, #151+ Masters in Finance Program, #151 Masters in Management Program by QS Business Masters World Ranking, 2024, #12, All India Top 100 B-Schools by Times B-School Ranking 2023, Rank #15, All India Top Pvt. B-School, BusinessWorld 2022, and features in India’s Best B-Schools beyond IIMs by Dalal Street Investment Journal 2023.

Visit woxsen.edu.in for more information.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2280260/Woxsen_University_1.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2280263/Woxsen_University_2.jpg

Navigating diversity: ZEE5 Global masters the art of diaspora marketing in a heterogeneous landscape: ZEE5 Global’s Archana Anand

By in Art World News

Navigating diversity: ZEE5 Global masters the art of diaspora marketing in a heterogeneous landscape: ZEE5 Global’s Archana Anand

Mumbai: In a constantly evolving streaming landscape flooded with new content and numerous OTT providers competing for viewers’ attention, the plethora of choices can be overwhelming for consumers. In this era of expanding content options and increasing viewership, addressing the specific needs of our audience becomes progressively crucial.

As a key player in the global OTT industry, ZEE5 Global not only recognizes but actively prioritizes the importance of comprehending the intricacies of the global viewer. Acknowledging the strong affinity for South Asian content among the global diaspora, ZEE5 Global has taken intentional steps to curate an extensive and diverse library of titles, tailored to meet the varied preferences of our viewers.

Archana Anand is a high-performing business leader currently helming the Strategy and P&L verticals of ZEEL’s streaming business globally. She also spearheaded the launch of ZEE5 India, followed by ZEE5 Global across over 190 countries.

Anand has over 24 years of experience in the Media and Service space, she has managed three Streaming Platforms, two of which she oversaw from ideation to launch.

A recipient of the “Inspiring Woman Leader”, IIM Bangalore Alumni award for “Corporate Leadership”, she is known for her excellent people management skills with proven strength in pulling diverse teams to deliver on stretch goals for the organisation successfully. Anand is adept in all aspects of the OTT/Streaming Business, her specialities also lie in brand and performance marketing, business development, product marketing, and crafting pioneering consumer experiences.

Indiantelevision.com in conversation with ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand on tackling consumer expectations, understanding the Indian diaspora customising content and being price sensitive…

Edited Excerpts:

On ZEE5 Global’s take on the consumer being spoilt for choice with so many OTT platforms and content overload, and their plan to tackle this

The proliferation of streaming platforms and the abundance of content available has on one hand spurred the growth of the industry and thrown up opportunities. However, it has also surfaced multiple challenges. Too many platforms, too many options to search through, multiple subscriptions that are heavy on the pocket- all these are key concerns expressed by consumers and echoed by our diaspora audiences as well, which we too along with other platforms, look to address.

On strategising and targeting the diaspora audience across countries on various aspects, being a global player

It’s been one of our key challenges to target and market to the diaspora scattered across different markets and an extremely heterogeneous mix at that, making it impossible for us to stick to a single plan when designing our outreach.

To tackle this, we’ve looked at a very tailored strategy to reach our consumers by targeting them in key catchment areas like retail outlets and grocery stores across markets, local events etc. We’ve also had a targeted approach to reach students through a series of networking events conducted across 150 campuses within the U.S. to enable South Asian students to bond and feel more connected to home. Many of our outreach initiatives tie back to our culture and festivals but also to local events and special days e.g., Black Friday, amongst others.

On the most preferred content for the diaspora audience

Movies drive a significant chunk of our viewership across markets as diaspora audiences throughout the globe remain deeply tuned into the latest film releases. We also continue to see steady viewership for older hit movies. Our originals have also been performing extremely well across both movies and series.

In the US for example, our largest market, viewing increased 35 per cent year-on-year with original content having grown as much as 46 per cent over the last year. Globally, dubbed, and subtitled content has also picked up pace, with significant viewership coming for content outside of its original language. Additionally, viewers have also shown higher viewership across genres like thrillers, drama, and comedy.

On ZEE5 Global which has a wide range of South Asian content, other than the diaspora audience who are your customers that consume it heavily

Indian content especially Bollywood movies has always resonated well with mainstream audiences across markets from the USA to Germany, the Middle East and more. Today, audiences across the world are experimenting with content in international languages more than ever before, and much of this has been enabled through the availability of dubbing and subtitling. We have non-diaspora audiences as well across many markets enjoying the content on ZEE5 – be it movies and much-loved TV shows, and we only expect this trend to grow hereon.

On any insights on the viewing preferences of diaspora audiences across the US

The US is our largest market today, driving over 40 per cent of our total viewership and one where we command a strong leadership position among South Asian platforms. With the tremendous reach we have in the market, we have deep insights into the consumption habits and viewing preferences of South Asians. For instance, Movies and Originals are key viewership drivers, as are TV shows from across the Zee Network channels. When it comes to specific genres, dramas have done well, clocking 60 per cent viewership growth, followed by comedy and thrillers recording a 58 per cent increase in viewership.

When it comes to geographic viewership, markets with high aggregation of diaspora audiences like California, New York, New Jersey etc. record the highest viewership on the platform.

On the different innovations and marketing strategies to get more eyeballs and to get newer customers in the global markets like the US region

To amplify our presence in the USA, we have leveraged digital marketing and targeted media campaigns extensively to reach our audiences. Apart from this, strategic partnerships and community-driven initiatives like festival and cultural event connect, movie screenings, student connect programmes, and more are some of the key strategies we have used to reach our audiences. We also launched the Global Content Festival to give independent filmmakers across the globe a platform through which they could take their content to a wider audience.

On the global market, what works better AVOD or SVOD

It varies from market to market. Some markets are more price-sensitive than others as a function of their earning power, the economy and other factors. We therefore follow a hybrid approach – with our TV Shows largely being available free for users and monetized through ads while all premium content is SVOD and behind a paywall. Having free/ AVOD content also helps us attract larger audiences for top-of-funnel marketing. The US is one market where we are fully SVOD, and that strategy has worked well for us.

Opera News: Opera Baltimore Salon Series presents ‘Our Voices in Music from Past to Present’

By in Native

Opera News: Opera Baltimore Salon Series presents ‘Our Voices in Music from Past to Present’

Baltimore, MD – Baritone Brian James Myer returns to Opera Baltimore for our Salon Series and will be joined by pianist Aurelien Eulert. Though visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community has evolved over time, the creative contributions of queer artists has been ever-present in classical music. In this artist-curated recital, we will explore the history and stories of queer composers and poets, past and present, who have loved without convention. This recital includes two world premiere song cycles by composers Iain Bell and Brian James Myer with texts by Verlaine, Rimbaud, and Jay St. Flono.

Opera Baltimore audiences will remember Brian James Myer from his brilliant performances as Figaro in “Il barbiere di Siviglia” last season. He has been praised as an artist of “both voice and character to make him stand out in the crowd” (Sarasota Observer). He has a vast performance history and has graced the stages of New York City Opera, Opera Delaware, Opera San Jose, Opera Las Vegas, and Opera Orlando among others.

Aurelien Eulert, a native of Alsace, France, made his US house debut in 2014 with Palm Beach Opera
as diction coach for their production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann and head coach for the Young Artist
Program. Since then, he has been on the music staff of Charlottesville Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera
Roanoke, Palm Beach Opera, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, USC Thornton Opera, UCLA Alpert
School of Music, Pacific Opera Project, Opera Delaware, and the Los Angeles Opera Education
department.

The recital will take place on December 10, 2023 at 3 pm, in the elegant Drawing Room of the Engineers Club, 11 W. Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore, Maryland. Tickets ($39 for General Admission, $15 for Students) and more information are available at OperaBaltimore.org. Come experience a cozy afternoon of soul nourishing music by the warmth of the grand fireplace in the Drawing Room!

About Opera Baltimore
Opera Baltimore was originally founded in 2009 as Baltimore Concert Opera. Our commitment to strong organizational structure and artistic excellence set the stage for both continued success and smart growth. Opera Baltimore is an Artist-in-Residence at the stunning Garrett-Jacobs Mansion in Baltimore’s arts district of Mount Vernon. We strive to invigorate both our audiences and artists through a balance of classic and innovative programming. Every decision Opera Baltimore leadership makes, whether artistic, financial or operational, is rooted in our values: Inclusivity, Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, and Responsibility; each of which is directly rooted in our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For more information about Opera Baltimore or to make a tax-deductible donation please visit OperaBaltimore.org. OB is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are deeply grateful for support from the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, BGE – an Exelon Company, the Maryland State Arts Council, The Citizens of Baltimore County, the Middendorf Foundation, OPERA America, the Baltimore National Heritage Area, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the John J. Leidy Foundation, the T. Rowe Price Foundation and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.

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Photography vs. Painting: How to capture the moment

By in Photography

Photography vs. Painting: How to capture the moment

Painters, for centuries, were very confident with how their art depicted the world around them—that is, until photography came into the picture.

Paintings or drawings were used to capture a scene or an object, document a moment in time or create a portrait. With the first photograph taken and developed by French pioneer Nicéphore Niépce in 1826, it appeared that paintings were no longer needed to document since they were slow and labor-intensive to create and could not compete with the realism and accuracy of photography. Paintings were also more expensive, limiting the medium to an elite few in the upper class. The artist Paul Delaroche famously declared, “Painting is dead.” We of course know that he was wrong. Inasmuch as photographs took the place of paintings as a form of more accurate documentation, painting survived and even thrived.

If anything, what transpired was an engaging interaction between the two mediums, the dynamics of which are explored in the exhibit “Capturing Moments” at the Tate Modern in London. It’s a rare opportunity to see extraordinary works from the YAGEO Foundation Collection, including paintings by Francis Bacon, Gerhard Richter and Peter Doig and photographs by Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky and Hiroshi Sugimoto, shown in dialogue with many recent additions to Tate’s collection, including works by Lorna Simpson, John Currin, Laura Owens, Michael Armitage and Louise Lawler.

“Three Studies for Portrait of Lucian Freud” by Francis Bacon, 1965 @rickytchitov

The show begins with a quote from Susan Sontag: “The painter constructs, the photographer discloses.” Of course, in the contemporary art world, it’s not that simple and the two modes of creation may not be easily separated and distinguished this way.

“Buste de Femme” by Pablo Picasso, 1928 @rickytchitov

Pablo Picasso actually found that the arrival of photography catered to his needs, saying that “Photography is capable of liberating painting from all literature, from the anecdote, even from the subject. So shouldn’t painters profit from the newly acquired liberty to do other things?” It encapsulated modern art’s foundational raison d’être of being set free from the documentary impulse.

“Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange (1936), the defining photograph of the US Great Depression Wikipedia

New styles and perspectives were developed in response to photography’s challenge, particularly when exploring the human figure, which Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon exploited by using it to expose the visceral reality of the self. Freud preferred painting from real life while Bacon drew from photographic material, distorting the body to reveal what he called “the pulsations of a person.” Picasso also challenged the notions of painterly representation and linear perspective to develop the Cubist style, collapsing multiple perspectives into one single moment in time. 

“War” by Paula Rego (2003), based on a newspaper photograph of Iraqi civilians in the aftermath of a bomb explosion during the Iraqi war  Paula Rego

While Bacon’s images may suggest ways to embody the multiple, fractured facets of the mind, George Baselitz turns the canvas upside down, upsetting the visual order so that we can look closer, not at the figures but the painted surface instead: “It’s material, expressive painting that resists the precision of the mechanical eye and a world increasingly filled with photographic imagery.”

“A Sudden Gust of Wind (After Hokusai)” by Jeff Wall, 1993 @rickytchitov

Sometimes, a painting is turned into photography, like in Jeff Wall’s “A Sudden Gust of Wind” based on an ukiyo-e woodblock work by Hokusai. Depicting four figures caught in a sudden gust that sweeps across a landscape, the image seems like an instant moment frozen in time, but the photograph was actually staged meticulously in several moments —over a hundred, in fact. Wall photographed actors on windy days then collaged and digitally superimposed elements of the image together, challenging the traditional notion that photography faithfully records reality during what Henri-Cartier Bresson called the “decisive moment” when the shutter is released. 

“The Arrival of Vasco da Gama (After an 1898 painting by José Veloso Salgado)” by Pushpamala N., 2014 @rickytchitov

The largest space in the exhibit is devoted to the theme of convergence, fusing popular imagery and mechanical processes with high art as embraced by artists around the globe—in what came to be known as Pop Art—exemplified by artists as diverse as Pauline Boty, Richard Hamilton and Andy Warhol, who capture their world and environment while exploring the cult of personality and investigating the sexual politics of visual culture. As Boty critiques the objectification and stereotyping of women in advertising and popular culture, Warhol and Hamilton comment on the constructed and performative nature of masculinity.

“Tante Marianne” by Gerhard Richter, 1965. Painted from a family snapshot, it has a blurred look, a photographic quality reproduced in paint to remind us that the image may not be faithful, challenging us to question whether images can ever capture objective truth. @rickytchitov

Another blockbuster is David Hockney’s “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures),” not just because it’s one of his most celebrated images but because of its deep relationship with photography. The scene was conceived through a serendipitous spotting of a pair of unrelated photos on the floor, which gave him the idea of the standing figure looking down at the swimmer. To complete the painting, Hockney employed a complex process that included taking hundreds of photos. The painting encapsulated his ‘60s and ‘70s obsessions: pools and bathers, enigmatic double portraits, queer desire and longing, sardonic riffs on abstraction.

“Self-Portrait” by Andy Warhol (1966-7), disrupting the myth of authenticity in self-portraiture with the silkscreen process that creates an image embodying his mantra of superficiality, doubling as both pattern and depiction of a person Licensed by DACS, London

In the final room, artists grapple with the visual and emotional possibilities of painting in the digital age, and how the medium can respond to our contemporary reality. Assimilating history and its relationship to images in order to offer new ways of understanding the present, new media, the internet and archival material collide with the tradition of Western painting to create timely pictorial languages. 

“Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)” by David Hockney, 1972 @rickytchitov

Lorna Simpson, Salman Toor and Chrsitina Quarles draw from broadcast media to represent political struggles like the legacy of racism and structural violence in the US, the migrant crisis in the US/Mexico border, and our position in a world that constantly bombards us with news of international conflicts.

Casually Cruel” by Christina Quarles (2018), with a background derived from a digital sketch, a comment on the casual and careless separation of families at the US/Mexico borderduring the Trump administration @rickytchitov

Drawing from lived experience, Toor and Quarles portray the contemporary body as fluid, ambiguous and queer, entangled with others and inhabiting multiple worlds. Whereas gestural painting is traditionally associated with heroic, masculine actions, these artists use digital renderings to create carefully controlled gestures.

At the end of the exhibit, a quote of Jeff Wall tries to sum up the themes and questions that were explored: “Part of the poetry of traditional painting is the way it created an illusion that the painting depicted a single moment. In photography there is always an actual moment — the moment the shutter is released.”

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About the author


Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre, The Philippine STAR

Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre are art, culture, history, interior design and fashion columnists of The Philippine STAR Lifestyle. Ricky has been writing since high school in Indiana and college in Ateneo. Chito is an iconoclastic fashion designer. Together they love playing dress up when they’re not dancing with their dogs or moving things around the house.

Photographer Sues Pa. Electrical Company Over Alleged Improper Use of Photo on Website

By in Photography

Photographer Sues Pa. Electrical Company Over Alleged Improper Use of Photo on Website

Philadelphia Electrical Equipment Co. was slapped with a copyright infringement lawsuit on Nov. 17 in Pennsylvania Eastern District Court. The complaint, brought by the Sanders Law Group on behalf of photographer Richard Harbus, arises from the allegedly unauthorized use of the plaintiff’s photograph on the defendant’s website. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendant. The case is 2:23-cv-04547, Richard Harbus v. Philadelphia Electrical Equipment Co.

This suit was surfaced by Law.com Radar, a source for high-speed legal news and litigation personalized to your practice. Law.com Radar publishes daily updates on just-filed federal cases like this one. Click here to get started and be first to know about new suits in your Region, practice area or client sector.

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