Yearly Archives: 2012

CHRISTINA MAZZALUPO — PROGNOSIS: DOOM

Christina Mazzalupo plans for the end of the world in apocalyptic exhibit in Chelsea (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

Mixed Greens
531 West 26th St. between Tenth & Eleventh Aves.
Through January 5, free, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
212-331-8888
www.mixedgreens.com
www.christinamazzalupo.com

If you’re reading this, then most likely the world did not come to an end on December 21, 2012, as supposedly predicted by the end of the ancient Mayan calendar. That would merely be the latest in what has been a long line of individuals and organizations wrongly proclaiming that the end is here. New York–based artist Christina Mazzalupo has compiled an extensive collection of these prophets of the apocalypse throughout history in her latest solo exhibition at Mixed Greens, “Prognosis: Doom.” The rather obsessive Mazzalupo has created wall boxes filled with toe tags detailing in tiny lettering and pictures such purveyors of doom as Cotton Mather, Helena Blavatsky, Edgar Cayce, the Amazing Criswell, Jim Jones, and John Wesley, along with such potential methods of destruction as asteroids, famine, plague, alien invasion, bioterrorism, and global warming. In one corner she has drawn the site-specific mural “And the Sea Was No More: Dependent and Independent Variables,” listing several things that might help one survive the apocalypse, from glowsticks, burn cream, and duct tape to fiskars, armor, and bio-transport modules. She also examines news reports that exaggerate and sensationalize events and includes a pair of videos, one in which she visits a Brooklyn mother who has turned her basement into an extremely well stocked fall-out shelter, while the other blasts a dizzying array of apocalyptic words at the viewer while Harry Partch’s “Delusion of the Fury” plays on the soundtrack. It’s all very funny as well as fascinating, although those with a deep-seated fear of death might not agree. “Presently, the belief that humanity itself is playing a role in its own demise is being taken more seriously,” Mazzalupo writes in an artist statement. “The question arises of whether this shift in mentality is in fact the ‘apocalypse’ we are presently facing. Can a greater awareness and awakening be in store?” Mazzalupo’s show is certain to entertain, educate, and, perhaps, make you go out and buy some supplies just in case one of these myriad predictions ends up having even the tiniest kernel of truth in it.

HAPPINESS IS . . . AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Lise (Leslie Caron) and Jerry (Gene Kelly) fall in love in the City of Lights in Vincente Minnelli’s AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

CABARET CINEMA: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (Vincente Minnelli, 1954)
Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th St. at Seventh Ave.
Friday, December 21, free with $7 bar minimum, 9:30
212-620-5000
www.rmanyc.org

To borrow a phrase from the Gershwins, Vincente Minnelli’s An American in Paris “’s wonderful, ’s marvelous.” In the 1951 MGM musical, which won six Academy Awards — including Best Picture, Best Color Cinematography, and Best Musical Score — it’s love at first sight for ex-pat artist Jerry Mulligan (a delightful Gene Kelly) upon seeing squirrely parfumerie girl Lise Bouvier (ballerina Leslie Caron, making her film debut after having been discovered by Kelly dancing with Les Ballets de Paris de Roland Petit). While Mulligan pursues Lise, he is pursued by wealthy socialite Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), who lures him in by buying one of his paintings and promising him a show. Complicating matters is French singer Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary), who has taken Lise under his wing. An American in Paris is a charmer from start to finish, with Kelly leading the way singing in the streets, tapping atop a piano, and romancing Caron on cheesy Hollywood sets doubling for the City of Lights.

The fanciful film features a classic collection of songs by George and Ira Gershwin, including “Embraceable You,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” and “’S Wonderful,” all choreographed by Kelly, who won an honorary Oscar in 1952 for “his versatility as an actor, singer, director, and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film.” Adding to the fun is Oscar Levant as Jerry’s irritable neighbor Adam Cook, a cynical concert pianist who gets a terrific dream sequence in which he plays an entire orchestra by himself. The film culminates in the dazzling sixteen-minute “An American in Paris Ballet,” a glorious Technicolor production number shot by cinematographer John Alton. An American in Paris is screening December 21 as part of the Rubin Museum Cabaret Cinema series “Happiness is . . .,” held in conjunction with the larger Rubin Museum program “Happy Talk.” “I’m glad somebody around here’s happy,” Jerry says to Henri at one point. There should be some very happy people indeed at the Rubin on December 21.

LAST CHANCE: GUNTHER UECKER

Günther Uecker explores the state of the world in black-and-white at Haunch of Venison (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

Haunch of Venison
550 West 21st St. between Tenth & Eleventh Aves.
Extended through January 12, free, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
646-715-4593
www.haunchofvenison.com

For more than fifty years — before, during, and after his time with the Zero group, which sought to reset German art for the post-WWII generation — Günther Uecker has been creating multidisciplinary works that explore religion, politics, the military, violence, and human nature by, among other things, hammering nails into canvases. “Art cannot salvage humanity, but with the means of art a dialogue can be enabled, calling out for the preservation of humanity,” he explains in the press release for his first New York City solo exhibition of new work since 1966. The Düsseldorf-based artist and teacher has filled Chelsea’s Haunch of Venison with primarily black-and-white pieces that are hung on the walls and drop from the ceiling. Many feature nails hammered into them, creating shadows that appear to make them move with the light as visitors walk past. Several of the canvases also contain quotations from the Old Testament, while a corner mural includes the same words translated into Farsi. Though produced with violent actions, there is a peaceful quality to the works, as if Uecker, whose 1965 kinetic sculpture “New York Dancer IV” was a highlight of the recent “Ghosts in the Machine” exhibition at the New Museum, is hopeful that the world, especially the Middle East, will come to its senses and find common ground. Yet the eighty-two-year-old artist furthers his abstract examination of various dichotomies by employing such titles as “Scream,” “Injuries Connections,” “Black Rain,” and “White Phantom.” The show, which continues through December 21, offers a fascinating look into the mind of an artist who still takes great pleasure in challenging both the viewer and himself in a world rife with bitter conflict.

THE CONTENDERS 2012: MOONRISE KINGDOM

Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) are on the run in Wes Anderson’s delightful MOONRISE KINGDOM

MOONRISE KINGDOM (Wes Anderson, 2012)
MoMA Film, Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd St. between Fifth & Sixth Aves.
Saturday, December 22, 8:00
Series continues through January 12
Tickets: $12, in person only, may be applied to museum admission within thirty days, same-day screenings free with museum admission, available at Film and Media Desk beginning at 9:30 am
212-708-9400
www.moma.orgwww.moonrisekingdom.com

In such unique films as Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Darjeeling Limited, black-comedy master Wes Anderson has created a bizarre collection of characters who seem to live in their own alternate realities. In his latest, Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson has once again assembled an oddball assortment of men, women, and children in a terrifically clever and entertaining fairy tale all its own. Tired of being abused by his fellow Khaki Scouts and dismissed by his foster parents, twelve-year-old orphan Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) runs away from Camp Ivanhoe on the island of New Penzance, much to the chagrin of dedicated scout master Randy Ward (Edward Norton). Meanwhile, twelve-year-old loner Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) is fed up with her life as well, which she mostly spends listening to Benjamin Britten, reading fairy tales (fictitious stories made up by Anderson), watching the world through a pair of ever-present binoculars, and despising her parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand). Afraid of what might have happened to the children, the local police officer, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis), gets involved, as does a stern woman from social services (Tilda Swinton) and, eventually, a very different kind of scout, Cousin Ben (Jason Schwartzman). The proceedings are overseen by a narrator (Bob Balaban) who ends up being more than just an omniscient presence. Moonrise Kingdom is an absolute gem of a film, an exciting, original tale about growing up told in a fabulously funny deadpan manner that combines slapstick humor with wildly ironic elements, filled with the endless wonders of childhood, although it is most definitely not for children. Newcomers Gilman and Hayward appear wise beyond their years in the lead roles, with outstanding support from an all-star cast, most prominently Norton as the by-the-book scout master on a mission. Written by Anderson with Roman Coppola and featuring a lovely score by Alexandre Desplat, Moonrise Kingdom is one of the best films of the year, by a director whose imagination never ceases to amaze. Moonrise Kingdom is screening December 22 at 8:00 as part of MoMA’s annual series “The Contenders,” consisting of exemplary films they believe will stand the test of time; upcoming entries include Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables, Sally Potter’s Ginger and Rosa, and Raoul Ruiz’s Night Across the Street.

100 x JOHN: A GLOBAL SALUTE TO JOHN CAGE IN SOUND AND IMAGE

A four-day program at White Box celebrates the centenary of the birth of revolutionary sound artist John Cage

White Box
329 Broome St. between Grand & Delancey Sts.
December 20-23, suggested donation $10
www.eartotheearth.org
www.whiteboxnyc.org

New York City’s celebration of the centennial of John Cage’s birth continues with an impressive collection of audiovisual programs December 20-23 at White Box. Held in conjunction with Ear to the Earth and MA.P.S (Media Arts, Performance, and Sound), “100 x John: A Global Salute to John Cage” consists of one hundred compositions and sound projects, beginning Thursday at 5:00 with “Phill Niblock: Four Videos from Working Title, in which Niblock will present a multimedia examination of his life and art. At 7:00, “Cagean Mix #1: Sounds from Around the World” is highlighted by a sound collage organized by Joel Chadabe and video improvisation by Luke DuBois, followed at 8:00 by solo soundscapes by Rodolphe Alexis, Adam Gooderham, Walter Bianchi, Warren Burt, Thomas Gerwin, and Arsenije Jovanovic. Friday night’s program includes “Cagean Mix #2: Sounds of Water and the Natural World” at 7:00 and performances by Joseph Kubera, Susan Kaprov and Don Bosley, and David Rothenberg. On Saturday at 12 noon, “Sounds and Images” comprises solo pieces by David de Gandarias, Jovanovic, Alexis, Leah Barclay, and Annea Lockwood, followed by a book talk at 3:00 with Kay Larson, author of Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists; at 8:00, there will be performances by Garth Paine, Guy Barash, and Richard Lainhart. The festival concludes on Sunday with a Christmas party and “Cagean Mix #3: Sounds of New York City” at 5:00 and “Shelley Hirsh, Katherine Liberovskaya, Gil Arno: New York Stories” at 8:00. To get a sneak peek at some of the “100 x John” soundscapes, go here.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER: ALL NEW 2012

Yannick Lebrun and Jacqueline Green perform in Alvin Ailey premiere of Jirí Kylián’s PETITE MORT (photo by Paul Kolnik)

New York City Center
130 West 56th St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.
Through December 30, $25-$135
212-581-1212
www.alvinailey.org
www.nycitycenter.org

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s all-new program on December 16 was one of the most exciting nights of dance of the year. The evening began with the company premiere of Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, commissioned for the 1991 Salzburg Festival honoring the two hundredth anniversary of the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Set to Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major – Adagio and Piano Concerto in C Major – Andante, the eighteen-minute piece starts off with six male dancers standing over fencing foils, which they soon pick up and slice through the air. Meanwhile, a half dozen women linger in the background, hovering behind black Baroque dresses that they soon push across the floor. It’s a wildly imaginative work that balances humor with seriousness as it conjures up thoughts of war and mutilation. (Petite Mort will also be performed December 23, 26, and 30 as part of Ailey’s annual month-long season at City Center.) After a pause, Renaldo Gardner and Michael Francis McBride took the stage for the company premiere of Ailey artistic director Robert Battle’s Strange Humors, a short, energetic duet, originally choreographed for Parsons Dance Company in 1998, in which the bare-chested dancers, in bright orange Missoni pants redesigned by Jon Taylor, deliriously shake, move, and groove to a score by John Mackey that mixes African percussion with Middle Eastern melodies. The title comes from a quote by Maya Angelou: “When I think of death, and of late the idea has come with alarming frequency, I seem at peace with the idea that a day will dawn when I will no longer be among those living in this valley of strange humors.” (Strange Humors is also scheduled for December 19, 22, 26, 27, 28, and 30.)

Ronald K. Brown’s rapturous GRACE is more dazzling than ever in new Ailey production (photo by Paul Kolnik)

After the first of two intermissions, AAADT presented the world premiere of hot choreographer Kyle Abraham’s Another Night, a sort-of sequel to the Ailey classic “Night Creature.” Set to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers’ version of Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” the sixteen-minute piece is led by Rachael McLaren, shimmering in a blue dress and gliding across the stage, joined by nine other dancers in bright clothing who are enjoying a night on the town, checking out one another’s moves, pairing off into duets (possible pick-ups?), and just generally having a great time. (The fun will be repeated December 19, 22, 27, and 30.) The evening concluded with a stunning new production of Ronald K. Brown’s Grace, which was commissioned for AAADT in 1999. The remarkable Linda Celeste Sims emerges from behind a scrim in the back, under white light, in a white dress, elegantly dancing to Jimmy McPhail singing Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday.” As the music shifts to Roy Davis Jr., Paul Johnson, and Fela Kuti, Sims is joined by four other women and six men (including guest artist and former Ailey star Matthew Rushing) in red or white costumes by Omatayo Wunmi Olaiya. Incorporating Brown’s trademark West African–influenced movement, the dancers reach for the sky, seeking enlightenment as sinners (in red) become angels (in white) and look toward heaven. Grace is an exhilarating, rapturous work, filled with an innate, infectious spirituality that resonates throughout the audience. (Grace continues December 19, 23, 26, and 30.)

AMOUR

Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva play a married couple facing tragedy in Michael Haneke’s brilliant AMOUR

AMOUR (Michael Haneke, 2012)
Film Forum
209 West Houston St.
Opens Wednesday, December 19
212-727-8110
www.sonyclassics.com/amour
www.filmforum.org

Legendary French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant puts an exclamation point on his long, distinguished career with Amour, one of the most beautiful love stories ever told. In his first film in nearly a decade, Trintignant, the star of such classics as Z, My Night at Maud’s, A Man and a Woman, and The Conformist, plays Georges, an octogenarian who is immediately concerned when his wife, Anne (Emmanuelle Riva), suddenly freezes for a few moments, unable to speak, hear, move, or recognize anything. So begins a downward spiral in which Georges takes care of his ailing wife by himself, refusing help from his daughter, Eva (Isabelle Huppert), as he faces the grim situation with grace and dignity. A genuine romance for the ages, Amour is brilliantly written and directed by Michael Haneke, earning the German filmmaker his second Palme d’Or, following 2009’s The White Ribbon. Haneke (Cache, The Piano Teacher) and cinematographer Darius Khondji allow the heartbreaking tale to unfold in long interior shots with very little camera movement, spread across more than two hours. Despite its length, the film is far from torturous; instead, it is filled with quietly beautiful moments. Trintignant, who just turned eighty-two, is magnificent as Georges, his every physical movement and eye glance rendered with powerful yet gentle emotions, whether he’s preparing food for Anne or trying to catch a bird that has flown into the apartment. It’s an unforgettable performance in an unforgettable film.