New Curious Burghlar Site

I have decided to make some changes. I will now be blogging at http://curiousburghlar.wordpress.com/. Please see the new site for more Curious Burghlar coverage. Burghlar aboard, and Curious we go!

Ai Weiwei: Persisting to be Heard

Though I was inspired to write this post after seeing the documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, I have included information and events that have occurred since the documentary's release in 2012. Rather than a review of the documentary, this is a look into Ai Weiwei and those concerns that surround and envelop much of his work as an artist and many of his actions as an activist.

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei adamantly defends his rights in a society suppressed by government control. He has not only created conceptual art that addresses political and human rights issues, but he has also utilized online writing outlets like a blog and Twitter to document both personal and societal injustices.

The 2012 documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry compiles footage from Alison Klayman's four years as a journalist living in China. She foremost captures Ai as an international artist and architect whose primary motivation is to achieve freedom of self-expression in China. He voices support for fellow human rights advocates like Liu Xiaobo, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while imprisoned for "subversion of state." This crime is undeniably common among Chinese who speak out for their own rights and, thereby, speak out against the government.

Three key conflicts between Ai and the government in the past five years sustain drama throughout the documentary: the Sichuan Earthquake Names Project, a physical attack on him that resulted in brain injury, and his detainment by authorities for 81 days. The government's censorship of its own people is at the heart of all three.

Government authorities shut down Ai's blog in May 2009, after he posted the names and birth dates of 5,212 schoolchildren who died in the collapse of poorly constructed government school buildings during the magnitude 7.9 earthquake of China's Sichuan Province. Activists Tan Zuoren and Xie Yuhui had already uncovered evidence that the government buildings fell far short of meeting construction standards. Tan was arrested after publishing his findings online; Ai's blog was merely shut down, as this article by Katherine Grube of ArtAsiaPacific Magazine outlines in more detail.

On August 12, 2009, Ai was supposed to testify at a trial in defense of Tan. Early that morning, however, police attacked Ai in his hotel room. One might assume that the attack was meant to prevent Ai from speaking at the trial, and it did. One month later, Ai was hospitalized with a brain injury that was most likely caused by the August 12 beating. See this article for further details on the incident.

So, Ai suffered infringement on his freedom of speech as well as cranial trauma. Although freedom of speech is protected under the Chinese constitution, government censorship combats it often, as described by the Council of Foreign Relations. This BBC News article also takes a peek into exploring just how online censorship in China works.

As Never Sorry emphasizes, Ai's efforts to improve human rights in China are being heard. Sadly, the Chinese government's attacks against him speak even louder. He has personally suffered for boldly and publicly confronting issues that weigh on the conscience of the Chinese people. In 2011, Ai was detained for 81 days by Beijing authorities for alleged tax evasion. His disappearance garnered a lot of media attention, and months after his release, supporters pitched in to help pay Ai's outrageous tax bill. His detention has since become the subject of a book released this year, Hanging Man: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei by Barnaby Martin as well as a play (based on the book) by Howard Brenton, entitled The Arrest of Ai Weiwei.

Although Never Sorry foremost documents Ai's political endeavors and the injustices he has faced as a result, Klayman also peers into Ai's personal life: Ai with his mother, Ai with his son, Ai in his studio, even Ai marveling at his cats. Klayman paints a well-rounded portrait of Ai, who revels in self-expression, who proclaims political frustration, and who executes his ideas through demonstration. His words reach millions of people through Twitter every day while his photos go viral 'round the worldwide web.

In an interview with Time magazine as one of the runners-up "Person of the Year" for 2011, Ai says his "first blog post was one sentence, something like 'To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason.'" To this end, Ai's politically charged works like the Study of Perspective series (1995-2003) defy self-censorship.

Some writers label Ai as outspoken or find his antics to be over the top. Take his parody of Psy's hit "Gangnam Style," which, at over one million views, has the most views of Ai's YouTube videos. Importantly, Ai entitled his version "草泥马style." Translated into English, this title means "grass-mud horse." China Digital Times explains its intended and unique meaning as an anti-government term among Chinese internet users.

The significance that cannot be overlooked is that, with the worldwide platform that is the internet, Ai is being heard, and that is how he fights for people's right to self-expression in China. Never Sorry can be seen as an extension of Ai's activism, for it is an account by Klayman of Ai's experiences and his unrelenting efforts to be heard.


Here are a few more interesting reads regarding Ai Weiwei:

"Hong Kong Graffiti Challenges Chinese Artist's Arrest," Louisa Lim, NPR, 2011.

"Is Ai Weiwei China's Most Dangerous Man?" Mark Stevens, Smithsonian, 2012.

Ai Weiwei: According to What? Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 2012-2013.

"Whither Moral Courage?" Salman Rushdie, The New York Times, 2013.

Radiant Circles: Ruth E. Levine's Generous Life

October 23, 2012 - January 11, 2013

American Jewish Museum of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh (AJM)

This exhibit was the first to comprehensively represent the artistic career of the late Ruth E. Levine (1936-2010). Having moved to Pittsburgh from Washington, D.C. in 1998, she spent just over a decade here. In that time, the artistic community fully embraced her, and she exhibited at venues like the Carnegie Museum of Art, The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Fe Gallery, and Gallerie Chiz. 

Her interests in literature and mathematics prominently mark her oeuvre. Interpreting her works requires uncovering exactly what her inspirations were. It's an inquisitive process.

At the AJM, text panels and an exhibition guide nicely led viewers through the exhibit by describing the ideas that were at the root of Levine's works.

Inukshuk, it was created to make the desolate land appear inhabited; 25.5 x 35 inches; oil pastel on slate.

In Inukshuk, Levine refers to stone landmarks that natives of the Arctic region of North America built and used for navigation. Slate - the perfect medium for it!

In Some Kingdom, 33.5 x 25 inches, colored pencil on handmade Japanese paper.

First in Italian, and then in English, individually stamped letters form a poem. I don't know the source of the poem, but it's just enough to sound like the start of a story. It makes me wonder... what comes next?

Once upon a time in some kingdom, in some country

      there lived

      a golden tiger

      a red pine tree

and a hunter in grey boots

The direct association between words and their visual representation makes this piece particularly intriguing. Repetition and pattern is evident throughout much of Levine's work. In this case, the poetry, spatial arrangement, and story/ line/ color repetition combine to create a beautiful cadence.

It's visually rhythmic because there is an auditory element to it. Poetry. The text gives off this subtle air of suspense, and following the colored lines (like reading) for the length of the composition makes me feel like the story does go on. I'm really fascinated with it.

Pattern Overload; 100 x 5.5 inches (opened); notebook with pencil, marking pen, and watercolor.

This book obviously portrays Levine's interest in patterns. Oh, the infinite possibilities for patterns!

As a whole, Radiant Circles: Ruth E. Levine's Generous Life demonstrates her experimentation with different shapes, colors, and media, as well as her personal interests, from geography in her State Series to anthropology in her Nabatean Intervals Series. This exhibit offered a lovely review of and caring look into Levine's artistic contributions.

Furthermore, beside certain artworks in the exhibit, wall texts with commentary from Levine's friends offered intimate perspectives on her life, increasing the impact the late artist could have on viewers. I'll conclude with the words of Adrienne Heinrich, who reflected on Levine's personality and artwork:

While in her presence, I always felt that I was being "cared for" and embraced by her totally. Her warmth for other people was so obvious. She made other people feel that they were important. She never drew attention to her own importance in her manner or in her dress, but always radiated warmth. It was a tremendous gift that she bestowed on others.

I see it in her work; the complete intellectual attention to the study of each subject of her concentration, her desire to know and to see. She stripped away non-essentials, getting to the heart of the message, without pretense, by thorough investigation literally and figuratively. There was no glamour in her presentation. It was honest and straightforward, the result of her deep interest in the subject.

Take This Waltz, Sarah Polley (2012)

A tale of imperfect romance, Take This Waltz features characters who bare their insecurities, both bravely and embarrassingly. Michelle Williams plays the lead role as Margot, a woman with vague aspirations of being a writer, who has been married to Lou (Seth Rogen) for five years. While Lou devotes his energy to experimenting with chicken recipes for his cookbook Tastes Like Chicken, Margot has free time to pursue distractions and stumble through her complicated network of emotions.

Each scene can be assessed by a whirlwind of expressions on Margot's face. There's a chance she'll maintain fragile composure, crumble behind quivering lips, or surrender to a fit of carefree grins. In any case, Williams can be credited for a flawless display of Margot's nervousness and vulnerability.

Some situational elements seem unreal, like the premise for Margot meeting her enticing neighbor Daniel (Luke Kirby). They each take a trip to the same historic site in Nova Scotia alone, they sit next to each other on the plane ride back to Toronto, and when they take a taxi together they learn they live across the street from one another. Of course it could happen, and that's a very romantic way to set up a love story, but a simultaneous trip to Nova Scotia seems over the top. Anyway, that is the catalyst for Margot's craving new romance, which defies her marriage with the trustworthy Lou.

The script dabbles with playful humor between husband and wife, explicit sex talk between strangers who fantasize about being lovers, confessions of fears, and comments about getting old, overcoming addiction, or giving into indulgence. At moments, the acting is so loaded with expressive body language that no dialogue is necessary. While Take This Waltz touches on serious issues through dialogue, it more beautifully displays how these issues mark people's lives with a plot that's driven by emotions, which lead to actions that have consequences.

The movie is shot in a way that emphasizes actors' movements and expressions, enhancing the story with a depth that too much dialogue would bog down. The camera shifts from Margot's face to her feet while she makes blueberry muffins, the camera rests just far enough from Margot's face to catch every goodbye hug and kiss she gives her in-laws in a flurry as they shuffle out the door, and the camera spies on Margot and Daniel during an intoxicating carnival ride of momentary euphoria before abrupt silence, stillness, and florescent lighting coldly force them back to reality.

Take This Waltz is a love story without a definite protagonist. The story's substance comes from the uncertainty people face when they're emotionally conflicted. Despite a few overly romanticized moments, the movie resonates with anyone who has been surprised by his or her own emotions and felt it took courage to act on them.

Man and Nature, a Timeless Matter of Toil

The multifaceted relationship between man and his natural environment sparks discussions among everyone from artists and farmers to fishermen and scientists. Partaking in the sensory delight of fruit, or intensely debating over the use of natural resources, man's interactions with nature range from personal to political.

An act as ordinary as peering into the horizon inspires awe, so it's no wonder that the relationship between man and nature has been a timeless source of contemplation, evident in our agricultural practices, art, literature, philosophies, religions, and more.

In the Carnegie Museum of Art's exhibit Natural History, on display in the Forum Gallery until October 14, a small collection of works by international artists invites visitors to explore ideas concerning man as an inhabitant and appreciator of Earth.

The text on the gallery's exterior wall describes the artworks as "reveling in contradiction and complexity while nonetheless aiming for different kinds of truths, representations, and wonder." This offers a nice introduction to one room that approaches a subject so large it seems unapproachable. American Rachel Harrison's limestone green sculpture Utopia (2002) emulates this feeling with precision. A porcelain figurine confronts a giant cavernous entity, appearing to represent Mother Nature, which not only holds the figurine as to be of support, but also boldly marks its power over the figurine through its inherent advantage of size. What shelters man can also endanger man.

Gelatin silver prints by American photographer John Divola are both honest and surreal, displaying grainy, black and white images of majestic west coast landscapes evidently impacted by humans. In an artist statement, Divola writes, "While the literal subject of [The Four Landscapes (1992)] is California, its figurative subject is the psychological location of the natural from the vantage point of the cultural."

Next to Divola's photography rests German Florian Maier-Aichen's Untitled (2005), a chromogenic print. Maier-Aichen cleverly uses the medium to challenge what it represents. Does photography communicate truth? An ominously dark body of water rests aside the unreal red of Los Angeles' coastline, and a deep turquoise shroud of sky hovers over the whitewashed horizon. Through digital manipulation, Maier-Aichen dramatizes the naturally angular coastline into a luminous composition, like an inhabited red Mars (if it had beaches).

Other displays, such as 45 wooden boxes stretched across a wall, two videos of a cat and dog, and white pails containing castings of grass, are less astonishing but still thought-provoking. Don't miss two works that border the exterior wall and could be carelessly overlooked: Brazilian Beatriz Milhazes' Nazareth das Farinhas (2002), an acrylic burst of floral patterns on canvas, and American Mel Bochner's Measurement: Plant (Palm) (1969), an ode to man's desire to understand and document the physical development of a naturally occurring life form.

All artworks in Natural History are part of the museum's permanent collection. Centered around an inexhaustible, classic theme, the exhibit enables viewers to interpret some modes through which artists represent their surroundings, encouraging them to think about their own surroundings a little more.

Bloomfield's Box Heart features Keith Garubba

The Living Rose Window:

Printmaking on Paper and Glass by Keith Garubba

July 24 - August 18

In his printmaking, Keith Garubba explores relationships between architecture and biology, which he describes more simply as the things we make and the things we're made of. "I always feel like maybe we're trying to recreate ourselves in our artwork," he says, "and asking what it is to be human."

He titles his pieces after biological processes, which offer crucial insight to the artworks. The piece below, for example, is titled Angiogenesis, a term for the development of new blood vessels; in some cases, these new vessels provide nutrients for cancerous tissue. Even if you're unfamiliar with the terminology, compositional elements like line and color portray a sense of movement, as though some type of process is occurring.

Angiogenesis, Silkscreen and Collagraph

Whether it's the background of acrylic wash, the transition from crisp to faint colors, or the curling passages of inked string, Garubba's artworks evoke movement and spontaneity. Nearly symmetrical images of rose windows and biohazard symbols boldly mark Garubba's works as well. Spontaneity and symmetry then combine to create aesthetic balance within each composition.

Garubba's printmaking is a process of layers. He can typically complete pieces on paper in four layers, and his glassworks require more. A majority of the artworks displayed in The Living Rose Window are silkscreen and collagraph printing on paper. Some, however, are glassworks, which involve a more complicated process of silkscreening high fire enamels on glass and then kiln-firing to fuse the glass.

 Wake 2, Silkscreened Enamels Fused on Glass

In the quaint setting of Box Heart Gallery's furnished space, Garubba's works feel at home, where they provide a dynamic juxtaposition of our given bodies and the spaces we build to house them.

Kudos to the cat burglar and Catwoman, who win over unlikely hearts

A Cat in Paris (2010), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol

The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Christopher Nolan

 

A black cat accompanies a jewel thief on his late night escapades in A Cat in Paris. Coincidentally, this animated French feature meets its U.S. debut during the release of The Dark Knight Rises, which stars Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and jewel thief.

*But wait, as the curious 'burgh-lar, am I no longer allowed to believe in coincidence?

Consider another similarity/coincidence. Viewers of A Cat in Paris initially wonder, "Is the cat burglar a 'good guy'? He seems kind, but he's a burglar after all!" And viewers of The Dark Knight Rises might not understand their feelings towards Catwoman at first. "She's got badass moves, but does that justify stealing from Batman? She even sold his fingerprints!"

*If I believe in these coincidences, I might have to throw my pen and notebook off a bridge.

*So be it, as long as a lair awaits.

But in all seriousness...

ACiP: The cat burglar saves a girl from a gang leader who killed the girl's father a few years ago. Then the cat burglar woos the girl's mother, who, as a detective, was his opposition in the whole burglarizing-people-by-night gig, right?

tDKR: Catwoman compromises Batman's security by doing a job for an accomplice of Bane, the villain. Then Batman wins her over with his heroism, she saves his life, and they flee to Florence together. Enemies-turned-lovers, right?

At any rate, both movies are captivating in very different ways. It's thrilling to recognize Pittsburgh's own Downtown and Oakland interspersed with views of Bedfordshire, Glasgow, India, Los Angeles, New York, and Newark in The Dark Knight Rises. "They were here!" And we can't overlook that, for 2h 45m, the movie moves along stealthily, without hesitation, with brilliance in fact.

I am going out on a limb when I compare an animation with a budget of five million euros to an Imax blockbuster with a budget of 250 million dollars, but they share some basic plot elements, and they equally excite the imagination. Since far fewer people will probably see A Cat in Paris, its merit is worth describing. Radiant colors, a gentle pulse of light against shadow, and the characters' absurdly tiny feet distinguish the animation. The enticing soundtrack elevates the air of mystery as the cat burglar leaps among Paris rooftops, and playful references to movies like Reservoir Dogs and King Kong add the right dash of comedy to an animation full of thievery.

There is no competition between the two movies; I just couldn't overlook the similarities when I saw The Dark Knight Rises Friday and A Cat in Paris Saturday. Both are magnificent. The Dark Knight Rises will grip you with its suspenseful edge and make you gasp while Heinz Field explodes under Gotham City athletes. A Cat in Paris will delight you with its silly treatment of burglars, gangs, and police officials. And you'll marvel at the animated version of night vision, which enables the cat burglar to perform his wittiest trick.

*Parts of this post will be best understood if you have seen The Dark Knight Rises.