I'd have to ask my Grandpa about either of em, and he hasn't been alive for a long time.
I'd have to ask my Grandpa about either of em, and he hasn't been alive for a long time.
But there are areas of writing that are quite poorly served. I am not a great fiction fan, so I point to the talent, topics and views of B. H. Lopez.Originally Posted by paulr
A frequent lament is often, "There are just so many very good poets today", usually expressed by unpublished poets.Especially not in creative writing. The fiction and poetry worlds are brutal, with droves of very talented people struggling to get published. [...]
Regarding the topic title, well the meaning of landscapes changes so the answer is, "Yes, museums are collecting/displaying contemporary landscapes."
I keep only a casual eye on what is happnin in Frisco; but it's pretty obvious from the newspaper and even billboards. The big mega-museum featuring George Lucas' private collection of Norman Rockwell paintings and Starwars memorabilia got voted down by the public, cause frankly, it just doesn't fit the GG Natl Seashore theme. The ads are always the same stuck record: Warhol and Lichtenstein, or in photog, Cindy S. and Avedon. I don't know who spends money on that kind of thing except green-haired art academy students. If I wanted to see pictures of some gal biting her fingernails, I'd watch reruns of Dr. Phil. The Oakland Museum on this side of the Bay is dedicated to Pacific Rim subjects and Californiana history, and their archive is running at capacity. They'd need significant outside funding to expand their footprint to archiving anything contemporary. They've got a small token collection of very well known 70's color photographers who might have taken this or that in the state, but nearly everything else is dedicated to those who have been dead a very long time indeed. Sometimes current photographers are shown, and their former director rigged me a nice gig in the area once. I haven't kept much in touch. Most of these folks are no longer with us.
A couple of the old timers there asked to me work in their display dept after
I retire from here, cause I'm good at that kind of thing, but I have way too many irons in the fire already. Then that very expensive new UCB museum up the street looks like its gonna cater a lot to the cellphone generation - not exactly the kind of contemplative themes we grumpy ole men put into picture frames. But
over the previous museum has shown some really exceptional contemporary photography gigs from time to time. I didn't bother with a membership, even though
we could get quite a discount due to my wife being an alumni. Just too artsy/fartsy for me. I suspect their own archival role with be more oriented to film, that is,
in the movie sense. So that will be an excellent resourse for those more into the art film theme.
Classic Ragtime - it's still being played and composed today. A classic is a classic and will always be around.
Thomas
Hmmm ... I still have my Grandma's lovely upright Grand with true ivory and ebony keys. I was her wedding present around the turn of the C. But my sister inherited
the old piano bench, which had all the sheet music in there - and that did include a lot of old ragtime. My older brother played a lot of it from those yellowed, cracked old sheets. Me on the other hand ... the local music teacher still gave me dirty looks until the year he died...
You are young! Oh, not the turn of the 20th century. Okay,
Aside: one day in class a student exclaimed, "Mr. Stafford! I just realized you were born in the first half of the previous century!" I'd o slapped him if I were not so tired.
.
The piano was purchased in 1903. I come from a rather long-lived family. My great grandfather actually fought in the Civil War!
I think very many of us have deep heritages. My greatest North American grandfather was among the first to leave Samuel de Champlain's ship to establish Quebec, partnering with a native woman to initiate our family in North America. BFD
Sure, but I doubt you'll find it included in collections that try to represent early 21st century music. It's early 20th century music, or re-enactments thereof.
One of my favorite NYC live music acts is a 60s-style funk band. All their stuff is original, and it's composed an arranged meticulously. You've heard them backing up Amy Winehouse if you know any of those records. But mostly they work with Sharon Jones and Lee Fields and a few other front people.
I see these guys live because I like this genre and I miss it, and their shows are the best way to get transported back to an era that I never even witnessed in the first place. But I don't buy their records. Because if I want to listen this kind of music at home, I'll go straight to James Brown and Aretha. As good as these guys are, they are re-enactors. Like the Blacksmith reenactor at Colonial Williamsburg. If I'm feeling nostalgic, I'd rather go straight to the source.
It's why I don't want to see some contemporary guy's photography if it looks like Weston's or Strand's work. I'd rather see the original than a reenactment! The curators seem to feel similarly. They must ... they could certainly get contemporary reenactments for a lot less money.
Hmmm I always think the first question should be "is it any good?" rather than "is it derivative?". Everything is derivative really. A lot of original work does not represent the final best expression of that idea which may be accomplished by a different artist entirely. The overwhelmingly popular aesthetic of contemporary landscape photographers is based in New Topographics. and they have convinced themselves that they are doing something new. Their subject matter is new but not their aesthetic, which is a point Robert Adams made-nothing is new in photography except the subjects which are always new.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
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