Playing with Pictures

At my recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I discovered a small, special exhibit entitled: Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage. The hobbies and artistic ventures that wealthy Victorian women did to fill their time has always amazed and interested me. Needlework, watercolour painting, and now photocollaging. The works in the exhibit present several works from the 1860s and 1870s by a handful of wealthy English women, including Alexandra, The Princess of Wales. The artistic detailing involved in placing the right photo in the  fantastical, often funny watercolour scenes is amazing.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

Dreamlike Digital

I’ve always been tentative about embracing animation and digitally rendered art, particularly because of my often classical idealization of art. It was a surprise to me when a friend of mine recommended me to look at the art work of Ray Caeser, a Toronto based artist who has achieved a fair amount of critical acclaim. At first glance, I was instantly in love with the Marie Antoinette esque women in his artwork and the juxtaposition of the creepy Tim Burton- like details. Only upon closer research did I learn that this art work was in fact digitally rendered.

The art work which Caeser himself proclaims to be “dreamlike digital”, is something to be admired for not only its beauty but also the creativity and artistic powers that I had previously not associated with animation.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

French Kiss:

Trouble Child:

 

Coming Undone:

Ebb Tide:

A Day at the Museum

For many people I know, the ideal vacation would be laying on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean, sipping on fruity cocktails in the sun. But for me, vacations are the ideal time to experience a new place – its history, its architecture, its restaurants, its culture, and most importantly its museums and galleries. For me, there is no more of an ideal way to spend my vacation than spending  a day at the museum.

For my March Break vacation this year, I decided to head to New York City for a 5 day cultural overload. One of my dearest friends, Andrea, and I packed as much walking, sight-seeing, Broadway shows, and museum-going into our daily itineraries as our bodies, (and more importantly our student budget), could handle. We were able to fit in three amazing museums into our trip – The American Museum of Natural History (The ANH), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

The ANH was spectacular, not only for the fun searching game that Andrea and I played trying to find all of the exhibits featured in the film Night at the Museum, (the gum chewing Easter Island statue, or the statue of Teddy Roosevelt on his horse), but also for its amazing animal exhibits, also famous in the media for Sheryl Crowe’s music video for “If It Makes you Happy”. One of my personal favourites was the Hall of Ocean Life, featuring a life-sized model of a 94 foot long blue whale. It is astonishing to think of such a massive creature roaming the ocean.

The MET is a museum that you really need to take more than one visit to in order to not only really take the time to see everything but also to really take the time to appreciate the amazing art work that adorns its walls and hallways. My personal favourites were pieces by Degas, Klimt, Picasso, Monet, and Van Gogh. It’s astonishing to have the chance to be inches away from some of the most famous art work in history. Another highlight of the MET was the Temple of Dendur, a piece of Egyptian architecture dating from 15 BCE. It was funny to see ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics beside graffiti that tainted the piece during the Victorian era.

The MoMA was definitely an eye opener to me, considering my often snobbish approach to certain pieces of modern art.  I must now admit that I have developed a new found appreciation for certain pieces along the lines of Jackson Pollock. I was amazed also by the continued presence of amazing artists such as Picasso and Warhol. A highlight was the Tim Burton exhibit. It was interesting to see all of the clay characters from The Corpse Bride as well as various drawings, sculptures and other art work that truly reflect a unique imagination that Burton has had since he was young.

My trip to New York City was an amazing and fulfilling experience. I’m hard at work trying to plan, and save enough money, to go to Europe on my next vacation. Needless to say, you won’t find me spending my holidays laying on a beach somewhere.

Playing with Dolls

While browsing my new April issue of ELLE Canada, I came across an article on Sarah Faber, an artist who creates dolls that seem straight out of a Tim Burton film. Waifish, gothic female dolls are her artistic vision and she definitely produces magnificent art.  I absolutely love these dolls, and they almost make we want to start playing with dolls again.

Here are some of my favourites:

The Unhappy Bride:

Miss Flanagan

Sweet Willow

Oscar Favourites

This Sunday – March 7, 2010 – the Academy Awards will be presenting the Oscars to the best in film at their 82nd ceremony. Here are my Oscar favourites from the major categories:

The Best Picture:

• Avatar -Whether you loved or hated this film, you can’t help but admit how it has altered the state of cinema, with its excessive technologically based film-making process.

• Up in the Air – Nothing says 2009 like the recession and economic downfall. This movie is a perfect mirror image of life today.

• Inglorious Basterds – Exactly the way Hitler should have met his just desserts, this film depicts what we would have wanted to happen in World War Two. Gloriously edited and organized, in typical Tarantino fashion.

Actor in a Leading Role

• Colin Firth in A Single Man – As a depressed, broken-hearted man with suicidal thoughts, Colin Firth gives the best performance of his career in this visually dazzling film.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds -With his cool demeanor, Waltz helps create one of the most tension filled scenes in recent memory.

Actress in a Leading Role

• Meryl Streep in Julia & Julia – Meryl Streep is always amazing, and presents the real-life Julia Child with mirror-like precision.

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Mo’Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - Mo’Nique presents to us a frightening and disturbing child abuser. It is Mo’Nique’s heart-breaking turn at the end of the film, that makes the audience almost begin to feel sympathy for this altogether dispicable character.

Costume Design ( I can’t decide)

• Bright Star – Beautiful 19th century costumes.
• Coco Before Chanel – How can a movie about Coco Chanel not present the most amazing early 20th century costumes?
• Nine – Glorious early 1960s costumes. Think mod with a mix of Audrey Hepburn, and thick black eye-liner.
• The Young Victoria – Regal and flamboyantly excessive mid 19th century costumes.

Canada Reads? 2010

So, CBC, Canada Reads?

Here are the competitors:

1) Good to a Fault – Marina Endicott

In one moment, a middle-aged Saskatoon woman’s life is turned topsy-turvy in Marina Endicott’s compassionate and humorous novel. Clara Purdy wonders what it means to do right by others in this day and age, and the choices she makes take her into surprising new terrain.

2) Nikolski - Nicolas Dickner, translated by Lazer Lederhendler

Coincidence and chance are major players in Nicholas Dickner’s enchanting novel about three young Montrealers on unique but overlapping quests: a used-bookstore clerk, a fish-gutter who dreams of becoming a pirate and an archeology student who parses urban garbage.

3) Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture - Douglas Copeland

This tale of three young people searching for meaning in the California desert captured the mood of an era and became an international bestseller. With its wry mix of real-life and made-up stories, Douglas Coupland’s groundbreaking novel continues to appeal to new generations.

4) The Jade Peony – Wayson Choy

Wayson Choy combines vivid historical detail and poignant personal stories in this lyrical, note-perfect tale of three children growing up in Vancouver’s Chinatown during the Depression and the Second World War.

5) Fall on Your Knees - Ann Marie MacDonald

Ann-Marie MacDonald’s enthralling debut novel explores the tangled relationships of the Piper sisters and their powerful father. Moving from Cape Breton to the killing fields of Europe and on to New York in the Jazz Age, this international bestseller is a dark, dramatically compelling story of a family with secrets.

MY PERSONAL PICK: Fall on Your Knees. Only the best author could write something so intricately mapped out. The novel is moving, and at times disturbing. The novel is something that will stay with you for a long time.

For the Love of MOD

I have always had a love for vintage clothing; however, long days in a class room don’t exactly provide the most ideal atmosphere to wear vintage dresses and accessories. None the less, I still have a good quarter of my closet filled with vintage inspired clothing.

One of my favourite websites for vintage inspired clothing and general apparel is ModCLOTH, the American website run by highschool sweathearts, Eric and Susan Koger. The website sells vintage clothing and vintage inspired clothing by indie designers. For people, such as myself, living in Canada, we must be prepared to pay hefty customs fees, (which aren’t mentioned during the initial ordering process), however for the love of MOD, you might be willing to deal with these extra costs.

Here are some of my current favourite items on MODCLOTH:

A Black and White Polka-Dot Two Piece Swimsuit

The Soda Fountain Dress in Black

The Grey Area Coat

Twinkle, Twinkle Pretty Dress

Club House Bag

Hoppy Ending Book EndLove to Bake Measuring Cups

Chanel: Collections and Creations

Find even more amazing vintage-inspired clothing and apparel at www.modcloth.com

LET History Repeat Itself

I’m not quite sure what it is about historically set  films that makes me borderline obsessive at times. If done right, the costumes, and cinematography from a film can have the ability to capture my imagination for weeks, making me obsess about a certain time period or historical person for days, months, and sometimes even years. I saw The Wolfman this past week, and what it lacked in dialogue and actual unique plot, it made up for in amazing English Victorian scenery and costume. This got me thinking about some of the other movies that have inspired me and conjured an obsession with a particular time period. For example, after seeing the epic movie Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor when I was 10, I have never stopped being totally and utterly fascinated by everything to do with the ancient  Egyptian queen.

Some of my other all time favourite historically set  movies from the past few years are:

Elizabeth tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I’s rise to the throne in the 16th century.

Vanity Fair tells the story of a social climber, Becky Sharp, in 19th century England and India.

Memoirs of a Geisha tells the story of a young geisha in 1930s and 40s Japan.

The New World tells the story of Pocahontas in 17th century America.

Coco Before Chanel tells the story of the young designer Coco Chanel in early 20th century France.

Nine tells the story of director Guido Contini and his relationship with the women in his life. Set in 1960s Italy.

Almost Famous tells the story of a young journalist and his discovery of 1970s rock band culture.

Marie Antoinette tells the story of a young Marie Antoinette during the 18th century, pre-guillotine.

Considering how obsessed I am with historically set movies, all I can say is LET history repeat itself.

The Soundtrack of Your Life

How many times has this happened to you: You’re walking down the street, or riding the subway, when a song comes on your iPod shuffle, that brings your thoughts back to memories of a particular time in your life in which this song seemed to literally be the soundtrack of your life? Well, to be honest, this happens to me all the time.

Considering that Cultural Inspirations is a blog which reflects and comments upon the art that inspires me in my daily life, it couldn’t be a better time for me to present to you, the current soundtrack of my life.

My soundtrack always needs a bit of Brit Indie Rock to mix things up a bit:

22-20s- Shoot Your Gun

Engineers- Home

A little bit of Canadian content never hurt anyone

Metric- Gold, Guns, Girls

Magneta Lane – Broken Plates

A bit of an American influence is expected:

The Dead Weather- Treat me Like Your Mother

Death Cab for Cutie- I will Possess Your Heart

And, a little bit of dance always seems to help.

Martin Solveig Featuring Dragonette- Boys and Girls

Lady Gaga- Paparazzi

Still Alice

For as long as I can remember “Alice in Wonderland” has always been my favourite Disney movie. Whenever I come across anything to do with Alice and her friends from Wonderland, I immediately want to buy it. One of my favourite purchases being a unique, hand painted ring, depicting a classic Alice about to go down the rabbit hole on the back of a domino piece.

With all the hype currently surrounding Alice as a result of the Tim Burton film scheduled for release this March, its not surprising that just about everyone is trying to work Alice into their repertoire. In beauty, OPI, the popular nail brand released a four-colour set inspired by Tim Burton’s version. And several fashion houses, including Chanel’s 2010 Spring / Summer collection, were inspired by a classic Alice look.

Also, the National Ballet of Canada recently announced the premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet based on the original story by Lewis Carroll. This ballet (which is something that I will definitely be seeing) seems to be the prize of the National Ballet’s 2010 / 2011 season.

I’m not too sure if this sudden obsession with Alice and her friends from Wonderland is going to last, but the Alice obsessed  side of me is hardly complaining.