Author: Sarah Ogar

A culture-addict who has dabbled in film production, screen writing, stand-up comedy, theater production, and much more.

Wear Today, Gone Tomorrow

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It is common knowledge, that a working person in possession of a meager fortune must be in want of new clothes. What you bought last season is undoubtedly out of fashion this season, so you peruse the stores, perhaps bag up some of your “old” things (things from 2 years ago) and donate them to charity, and then you are off to the local or virtual shopping mall in search of something novel.

Let’s say you even find something that does not abhor you so much that you decide to buy it. You wear a few times, your coworkers compliment you and its mere placement on your body signifies that you are a culturally astute individual with a flair for prints and patterns.

But then, several months go by and your article of clothing starts to lose its luster. You see it on someone else at a CVS or Walmart and think “They can’t possibly be wearing that! That is MY identity!”

You go home and re-evaluate your life’s goals, wondering where you went wrong. You pull out your article of clothing and finger its contents. Running your thumb over its buttons, your pointer finger down its front. You start to wonder what could have possessed you to buy such a ragged, ill-shapen thing that is now on the bodies of the common person.

You are not common. You are an individual with goals and aspirations that are higher than this quickly fading fashion gem that now appears quite tawdry.

Time to shop.

This common occurance, of what art historians and fashion mavens call ‘fast fashion’ is part and parcel in the digital age. It is so easy to use analytics to find the perfect white, long sleeve, v-neck tee or navy blue, velvet blazer with a silk lining.

This fast fashion was not always the fashion. Once upon a time, there were clothes created to last a lifetime or even two, in the case of wedding dresses and mourning clothes. The antithesis of ‘fast fashion’ is deep wearing.

If you have ever seen or read Shakespeare’s Henry IV:Part II, you may remember that after his father’s death, Prince Hal takes his mourning clothing very seriously and assumes a long-term emotional state from its investiture. He says that he will “deeply put the fashion on/ and wear it in [his] heart” (Henry IV: Part II, 5.2.52-53).

Widow Mourning, from a book of engravings ‘Picturesque Egypt: Vol I’ 1878

What does this fast fashion mean? Are we too busy to confront our inner selves and all the changes we go through? Do we manifest these changes outwardly, without acknowledging them inwardly.

When did Art with a capital ‘A’ become something so profane? Something that we fight tooth and nail over at the Bloomingdale’s Friends & Family sale, but then toss out several months later?

My case in point lies in the ever-growing, fastest fashion of them all, Inditex (whose most popular brand is Zara).  If you have not heard of Inditex (or ‘fast fashion’ for that matter), this NY Times article illuminates the six-week turn-around of the Zara brand.

Zara prides itself on using in-house designers (who don’t paste their names on anything) and local manufacturers that copy costly designer brands and have them on the racks within six weeks of appearing on the runway.

Celine (Pre-Fall 2013) on the left, Zara on the right (Image: The Fashion Spot)

They have ‘New this Week’ clothing that is there for a few days and then gone. They operate under the assumption that consumers will buy now or forever hold their cash.

Many fashionistas are passionate about being on top of trends. But a few weeks after being on top, they are back to the bottom, spiraling down from a loving relationship with their clothes to a restraining order.

I do not condemn the fashion set (in my own way, I know I am a part of it, just maybe not as invested as most).

And for every person who is addicted to new clothes, there is someone addicted to new heroine or cocaine or Nutella. But heroine and cocaine were not once stately ornaments that bore the identity of their wearer (in fact, if you are wearing cocaine in any form right now, I suggest you take it off before you go outside).

But why this devaluation of clothing and constantly change of our visual identity? Is it just part of being in an instant generation of online identities? Or is it something deeper?

Everything Old is Vogue Again

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“The past is regarded as instrumental to the formation of modernity, of modern times, in the same way that (visual) quotes from the ancient account for the charm and potential of fashion.”

A Visit to the Gallery

 This quote from Ulrich Lehman underscores the UMMA painting A Visit to the Gallery by Pier Celestino Gilardi. In the painting, a group of clothed Victorian women look at a first century marble nude that stands elevated on a pedestal in an elaborately decorated space. The women sit on a couch looking up at the statue and pointing at it, but they do not approach it. In the eyes of the elaborately clothed women, the Venus is an idealized figure from the ambiguous age of antiquity. The deep space of the painting and the visual contrasts between the Victorian women and the Venus hint at a temporal and fashionable distance.

As viewers, we may be tempted to do the same when viewing classical statues. But underneath the obvious temporal, spatial, and nude-clothed differences between the Victorians and Venus there are also similarities. In 2012, the University of Modena carried out an investigation into the statue and uncovered her colorful past.

What they found has changed my view of pristine classical sculptures forever. Far from being a white-washed and bland conglomeration of classical eras, the Venus represents specific trends in fashions and aesthetics that may have produced a different reaction from the Victorian crowd, had they been able to see her in her original state. The University of Modena uncovered layers of makeup, gold hair paint, and earrings.

The gaudy accessories that the Venus sculpture once wore in her heyday would have been used for the same reason of the Victorian women or of any pop star today; namely to elevate her social status and call attention to certain areas of her body.

kylie_minogue_concert-original[1]
Kylie Minogue in concert, dressed as Venus emerging from the sea

The makeup of the Venus also once played a large part in her presentation and eroticism. The same scholars that uncovered her ancient jewelry also discovered a layer of bright red paint on her lips and gold paint on her hair. The gold and red would have drawn any viewer’s eye to her head (much like the ostrich feather on the hat of the women on the right).

Venus’s hands are placed on erogenous zones, including her breast and pubic area. In a seeming attempt to cover up her body, she only calls attention to the greatest points of visual impact.

The Victorian women of the Gilardi painting also call attention to evocative areas. With their erect postures (seen in both the seated and standing figures) the women make sure that the elaborate ruffles on their chest and buttocks can clearly be seen. One woman even crosses her legs while seated, enabling her to show a small portion of her ankle. Venus similarly uses her legs to create an exaggerated crook at her waist and reveal an enticing gap between her thighs.

It is always easy for us as modern spectators to perceive the white, podium-displayed visuals of an older era and immediately decide that it bears no connections to one’s own like the distanced women in Gilardi’s painting with their pointed fingers and sly smiles sent in the direction of Venus’s high podium.

But by automatically distancing ourselves from an era without considering its original context we limit ourselves to a singular idea of beauty from antiquity. If the group of Victorian women had seen Venus in her original fashionable state, they would most likely have different reactions to this goddess. I know I will every time I view white antique statues from now on.

5(1/2) Days of Unconventional Christmas Movies

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In honor of the holidays, I have taken it upon myself to provide unconventional fun for all who love Christmas movies, but have seen ‘Elf’ way too many times and do not want to start watching any of the new crap that made-for-TV specials attempts to shove down our throats like bad fruit cake.

Listed below are five (okay six) movies that I recommend for anyone who wants a laugh, a cry, and a good explosion.

1. Love Actually

Okay, so maybe this one is not totally unconventional.  Especially if you are an American female between the ages of 16-25.  But if you are not, or you are and you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t seen this feel-good film then you should.  For one, it has every British actor that ever acted, acting in it. This includes Colin Firth. Why you should need another reason to see any film is beyond me.

2. We’re No Angels

This is an oldie but a goodie, featuring Humphrey Bogart and two other guys who hang out with Humphrey Bogart.  But they’re cool.  What is really cool about this movie is that 1) It is old = major cool points 2) Humphrey Bogart plays a crook who helps a family during the holidays 3) It is short, takes place in one location and the plot doesn’t drag at all. 4) A snake plays one of the major roles. How many Christmas movies do *you* know that have snakes as main characters?

3. Die Hard

A film whose story is a lot better than its tagline.

Hopefully, this one makes up for my first suggestion to all the chick-flick haters in the world. If you cannot get through a film without at least one building blowing up, then Die Hard is for you.  It has Bruce Willis and a brilliant Alan Rickman in his role as a Russian warlord (who buys Armani from the same store as Arafat).  Better than the explosions is the explosive dialogue.  Once you have seen this film, you will be a proper American and finally know what to say after the sentence, “Yippie ky-ay -”

4. The Muppet Christmas Carol

As an English major and muppet lover (in a the most non-sexual way possible) I love this movie.  Not only does it present a classic tale from British literature to the masses, it also does it using adorable furry creatures, Michael Caine, and addicting songs that my sister starts singing every November because she can.

5. Holiday Inn

Only Fred Astaire could dance with firecrackers and not blow his shoes off.

Aha, so you claim to be a great American because you have seen ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.  Good.  You can name that movie as the single black-and-white film that you have ever seen (but only because your Grandma made you watch it when you were four).  If you ever see another black and white Christmas movie, this one features Mr. Crooner and Mr. Dancer of the black and white era (aka Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, respectively).  It also features great songs

5 1/2. Just Friends

Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit = A Christmas Miracle
Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit = A Christmas Miracle

If you for some reason do not like Ryan Reynolds, seeing him in a fat suit may just make your day or at least endear him to you in some way.  I consider this movie to be the ‘Meet the Parents’ of Christmas.  It is full of wonderful visual gags, characters who you want to get punched in the face, and movie-moms that you want to hug forever (in this case, played by Julie Hagerty who is adorable as ever).  After seeing this, you will no longer be able to say the name ‘Dinkleman’ without a gravelly voice and utter hatred.

“It Belongs in a Museum!” 1500 Paintings Hidden from Public

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If you haven’t been following international art news lately, then you may be in for a surprise.  An on-going investigation of looted art (presumably stolen and stored by Nazis) has revealed almost 1500 pieces of art that belong to one man.  Cornelius Gurlitt was the son of an art dealer commissioned to sell most of the works looted by Nazis.

Reproduction of a Franz Marc painting believed to be part of Gurlitt’s collection (Washington Post)

Authorities recently seized his collection, but according to a German statute of limitations, his years of ownership make the art un-seizable.  In other words, Gurlitt has a right to keep every last piece if he wants to.

Is this a case of ‘finders keepers’ gone wrong?

In terms of precious cultural pieces, I have always been of the Indiana Jones mindset that ‘it belongs in a museum‘, whatever “it” may be.  In this case, there is a lot of it.  1500 paintings by artists like Marc Chagall, Max Beckmann and Otto Dix are purported to be in Gurlitt’s collection.

A big question on most people’s mind is “Where did all of the paintings come from?”  Police believe they were looted or bought off of Jewish families during WWII, but their provenance remains a mystery and isn’t likely to be something that Gurlitt will reveal any time soon.

Gurlitt I don’t know how this case will end.  In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, the reclusive and obstinate art collector said “I won’t voluntarily give back anything, no, no,” and that “When I’m dead, they can do with them what they want.”  This does not bode well for the art community, the German people, and especially the Jewish families who lost such precious pieces.

 

 

‘Riders at the Beach’ by Max Lieberman, another painting in Gurlitt’s nefarious collection

Even if the provenance was traceable, that is a lot of art to trace.  My suggestion and my hope is that someday a special art collection at a German museum will be established as a memorial to the families who lost these pieces.  The displays of art can be a reminder not only of the lost beauty from these personal collectors, but also the lost humanity in times of war.

 

Sources: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2013/11/17/german-collector-wont-give-art-to-anyone-report-says/
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/18/german-collector-says-hid-art-trove-out-love-wants-collection-back/

 

Barber of Seville Review

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This past Sunday, I had the amazing opportunity to see the music school’s performance of ‘Barber of Seville’.  Next to ‘Marriage of Figaro’, I would say that ‘Barber of Seville’ is one of my favorite comedic operas.  It is light hearted, short in terms of performance time, and full of great music.

The Barber of Seville

My favorite things about the performance…

1) The costumes.  The bedazzled pale pinks and yellows presented a delightful marriage of 1970s disco with seventeenth century Madrid.  The soprano Rosina wore a beautiful leopard print and floral empire waist dress augmented by a fiery red floral cape with turqoise satin lining.  And just about everyone wore shimmering opera wigs and red leggings.  I have seen opera take some interesting turns in the way of set and costume design.  I have seen flappers, 1950’s used car salesmen in checkered suits, as well as comedic characters in victorian full-body bathing costumes and flippers.  But this rendition of Barber of Seville stayed true to opera form and upheld the opera hair and costume adage of ‘Go big or go home’.

2) The Overture.  The opening overture alone was enough to get my mom and sister giggling next to me.  If you haven’t seen this cartoon, then stop whatever you are doing and witness the greatest integration of high opera culture and lowbrow cartoons…

Bugs Bunny in ‘What’s Opera Doc?’

3) The arias.  In addition to watching the animated brilliance of Bugs Bunny, you must listen to ‘Largo al Factotum’ if you are unfamiliar with you. Chances are, you have probably heard it countless times, and probably identify it as the ‘Figaro, Figaro’ song.  I’ll admit that before the performance, I googled ‘factotum‘ since I had heard this aria countless times, but never understood what a factotum was.

4) The humor.  Admittedly, opera humor is very different from the modern, deadpan, documentary-style humor you might see in ‘Office Space’ or ‘Modern Family’, but the physical comedy is never lacking.  Laughing out loud at opera requires you to allow yourself to laugh at things that have no pop culture references and no swear words.

If you have never experienced opera, ‘Barber of Seville‘ is a great place to start.  Opera buffa or ‘comic opera’ is the angel food cake of opera. It is light, fluffy, and full of funny hijinks that will help you unwind after a long day.

While I love opera seria or ‘serious opera’ it is not for the faint of heart.  It is often longer, denser, and much more intense than opera buffa.  Don’t get me wrong.  There are many great serious operas, but for the beginner or someone who isn’t sure about opera in general, take a listen to the overture from ‘Barber of Seville’ and revel in the accessible cadences of composer Giacchino Rossini.

Modern Sensibility for KIDS

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Seems like more artists have been making waves in house-related art!  A group of architects was recently commissioned to design dollhouses in the styles of their choosing.  If you think you know what a dollhouse should look like, guess again.

These houses were on display at the London Design Festival last month and were auctioned off to raise money for the children’s disability charity KIDS.

And you know what is even better than art raising money for charity?  Art directly influencing charitable causes.  Each house was required to contain “a unique feature to make life easier for a child who is disabled.”

How cool is that?

What I love about each of the designs is the abstractness that still maintains its functionality.

Children with their uninhibited imaginations, can make playhouses out of anything.  Blankets, couches, and some string have made for some of the best (not to mention coziest) residences of my life.  What I love most about this endeavor, is that it brings modern architecture (and modern aesthetics) into the consciousness of youngsters and also raises the public’s consciousness of children with disabilities.

When I was young there seemed to be a stigma around modern and abstract art (not to mention a major one around kids with disabilities that still persists today).  Both modern art and disabled people can be labeled as inaccessible, or foreign, and as something that only a small niche of society can appreciate.  These dollhouses demonstrate that the niche of modernism can extend beyond the adult age group and that modern art can be something useful and pedagogical.  It can be integrated into the everyday activities of four and five year-olds and be something that sticks with them all their life.

Who knows?  One of these dollhouse designs may inspire the next charitable Frank Lloyd Wright.