Every musician encounters this never ending nightmare sometime. This winter break, I encountered it head-on, Pachelbel’s Canon in D. I had this recording gig to play at my friend’s church. They actually specifically requested Pachelbel. Honestly I have nothing (only a some bit) against the Canon, but somehow this piece just haunts every musician. It’s goes on forever and in this case, I had to play most of the extra lines. ~sigh~ Honestly, this piece gave me such a headache because it never went anywhere; it was same chords over and over again. This is reality for a musician in the 21st century though. There’s gigs to do and every wedding wants to walk down the aisle with this in the background. Just gotta grit your teeth and give the people what they want. AND THE PEOPLE WANT CANON IN D!
Andy Blank: Real or Retail?
Andy Blank, of the self-named contemporary art company, is a Brooklyn-based artist known for “making the unscalable scalable”–AKA, Blank produces limited edition paintings and prints all under $199. The handmade artwork ship fully framed, allowing the customer to easily display their new art with tools picked by the company. In a saturated market of both astronomically-priced paintings and low-quality prints, Andy Blank stands out as a pioneer of a new art business model.
Blank’s works are unique in their ever-changing explorations of texture, color, and mediums. From photographic prints to glossy canvasses, new works constantly appear online and available to purchase, made by Blank and his production assistants. However, the batches of art also are quick to sell out. The website explains that the limited artwork is made purposefully “to protect the integrity of the artworks and the collectors who secured them.” I do appreciate that the “museum-grade” materials are all sourced from local suppliers, and that each work is handmade by the company.
I quite like Andy Blank’s business model as it makes art affordable–presenting consumers with a “gateway drug to art”. Intriguingly, Andy Blank compares itself to fast-fashion retailer Zara, which allows buyers to look as if they came off the runway, before moving on to more prestigious, expensive companies like Chanel. I think this comparison is somewhat self-deprecating, painting an image of a factory assembly line of art assistants producing work directly for purchase. There has been a lot of controversy in the art world about what makes art legitimate–is it the message? The materials? The price? The making of art for art’s sake? Is commercial art “real art?” While these questions never have a straightforward answer, Andy Blank continues to live in the limbo between fine art and commerce, and that’s completely okay. What do you think?
Making the Most of Second Semester
Happy Friday, everyone!
I know it’s been a long week (even with Monday off) so pat yourself on the back for making it through. Whether your semester seems like it will be a breeze or your hardest one yet, remember to be kind to yourself and find moments for celebration.
A new semester means a fresh start in many ways, but some people can feel trapped in the extracurricular activities they committed to in the first semester. I wanted to take some time to remind you that most student organizations gladly welcome new members during the second semester. MUSKET is producing a show, Basement Arts is partnering with Blank Space Workshop to produce new work, and many performance groups are holding auditions, just to name a few of the opportunities this semester.
Even if you don’t have the time or interest in fully joining these organizations, I encourage you to attend their events as much as possible. Not only will it bring some joy into your life and introduce you to new groups and artistic expressions, it will also help support these student groups through what is sure to be another strange semester. With most of their performances being virtual, along with classes, attending these events shows that we still support these groups, even if we can’t cheer them on in person.
So in the next couple of weeks, I challenge you to scroll through MaizePages and jot down a couple of organizations you’re interested in learning more about. Then, see what day they’ll be attending the virtual Winterfest and have some questions ready – maybe about the process for joining, or what their plans are for this semester. Finally, as you’re scrolling through Instagram or walking around campus and you see an advertisement for an upcoming arts event, add it to your calendar. That way you won’t forget, and when it comes along maybe you’ll put aside your homework for an hour or two to experience the creativity our campus has. Think of it as a new form of self-care.
That’s all from me this week. Good luck to everyone in their classes!
– Lucy
Poetry v. The World: Home For a While
Happy New Year!
I’ve heard a lot of people vocalize this sentiment about how going home feels off. And while I get it, I never quite heard a good elaboration of what this meant for people. They (including myself) liked to use the vague words like “off” and “weird” that only describe the surface of an emotion that is hard to dig through. This process, of finding what going home means to you, is largely personal and varies wildly from person to person. However, I feel there are some congruencies from person to person, which is why I always like to ask people about it. It’s interesting.
This poem is my summation of it. To me, there are two sides.
In my first year of college, I was organized, determined, and focused. I had made a schedule and loved sticking to it; I felt productive and like I had really come a long way from my where I was before. Every day was a step in the person I hoped to become. Now, when all this personal progress and development takes place in your dorm room where you stay for 2 uninterrupted months, going home, (the place of what felt like 17 years of stagnation) it killed my momentum. No matter how hard I tried, I tumbled back into bad habits and felt terrible for it. I didn’t have the drive of a fish-out-of-water.
On the other side, home is home. It’s where my parents cook for me. I had my own room to myself. Even the shower, (though not nearly as good as the ones at the dorm), was welcoming. No matter how much I grew in college, I didn’t lose my first tooth on the Diag. There are memories that you connect to at a childhood home, even the bad ones, and that vulnerable feeling can’t be replicated. As well, there’s less urgency. Homework, projects, lectures, student orgs. Those are all on campus, which is where you escaped from. There’s less pressure to impress a roommate, room to stretch.
One friend, after reading this poem, summed it up as, “being home sucks, but also everything feels a little less real and a little less overwhelming.” That struck pretty close to the heart of the issue for me.
I had to go home for 2 weeks to dog sit my parent’s 2 favorite children. And, while I was there, I was productive! Diving into Judith Weston and Akira Kurosawa I wrote and I got better at the ukulele. All while including time for recuperation. It was really great, and it showed me that the twisting I originally felt didn’t last forever. I was glad to come back to my apartment, but I’m looking forward to the next time I’m home for a while.
Have a good one.
-Jonah J. Sobczak
jonahso
unscrambled #18 – “the sound of snow”
Study Hal: Week 31 – Dream Destination
Happy first day of classes! Did you enjoy your break? Hal certainly did, but, his transition back to classes was… A little rough. Wouldn’t we all rather be on a beach somewhere? Especially when the alternative is this classic Michigan snow-rain.
Hal and I are sending good vibes for this semester. How was your first day of classes? While it might have been challenging, the bright side is that it’s nice to be back in a routine again. Keep up the great work!
If you’re new here, welcome! Hal is a U-M student studying remotely this year, and graduating with me after this winter! He’s back on Tuesdays with fun adventures, so be sure to check in or to check the Study Hal tag for more.
