Playing in the shadows….

certainly makes life interesting.  More so when you playing in the shadow of another artist.  It’s hard for me to not be involved in my husband’s creative concept.   My role is to support his vision.  I make suggestions and do what he needs me to do.

This new genre has been bouncing around his head for years… turning his still photography into a dance performance.  Although he has never been the artistic creator of a dance program – years of working in theater as a lighting designer gives him artistic background, working for various dance companies, gives him more experience, being a visual artist fills in the rest of what it takes to move into a new venue.   What finally brought this vision into a work in progress was a conversation he had with one of his former dance models, Juan Michael Porter II.  Juan was excited about collaborating on the project after seeing a “brief”  said this is beautiful, such a simple premise, easy to follow.    So Jene started setting things in motion.  He had the concept and 2 of the 3 dancers.

Not hearing back from Juan is a tad unnerving but dancers are very caught up in their own daily routines.  That is not holding Jene back from moving forward.  Masha, the other dance artist has been working on her part.  I am helping to design her costume according to Jene’s vision.  He has ideas that are morphing and testing what works and what doesn’t is where we stand.  Two weeks ago, I shot Masha as Jene looked on, then he changed the lighting to conform more to the mood he was trying to set and we both clicked off a few more shots.

When working with a slew of creative people, it is important to remember that this is Jene’s concept and although he is open to suggestions that he has to stay true to what his visions is.  He has spent countless hours listening to music for the opening score.  His original thought seems to work best with his concept and Rite of Spring was to be his choice but after putting that and Masha in motion, Jene reverted to listening to more and more music.   How do you know you’ve selected the song with the undertones you’re looking for?  I guess when you close your eyes and can envision the dance.

I put a slideshow video together with way too many images so that Jene could edit to his heart’s content.  He’d been working on it for days.  Moving photos around, retouching, cropping…     He is still searching for a trained dancer for the part of Eve and if he doesn’t hear back from Juan, he may be in need of the male lead.

© Mary Durante Youtt

Our second go round with the dancer was Wednesday,  with the new music, a couple more costume adjustments and direction.  Trying different movements and video taping to see what works and what doesn’t.   Masha needs to see what she is doing and since we are working in small cramped quarters without a wall of mirrors she has no idea what it looks like.

A must see exhibit at MoMa thru Monday 1/21

Yesterday Jene & I spent nearly an hour watching the slow, dramatic movements of Eiko and Koma’s Caravan Project at MoMa.   The strength and endurance of these performers are amazing.  The performance runs all day (see museum hours) in the Agnes Gund Garden Lobby, first floor.

Eiko and Koma have been performing together since 1972 and Jene happened upon them a number of years ago I think at City Center.  So when he spotted the advertisement in the NY Times for MoMa, we jumped at the chance.  Their choreography is similar to Japanese butoh and Kazuo Ohno was where they drew some of their inspiration from.

My first impression was that of an aging decaying process which then lead me to feel it was also about birth.  Like any art form, each viewer draws something different from the experience.

Taking a break from the hectic pace of the holiday season

Monday night, Jene and I took advantage of one of many TravelZoo Deals.  We went to the Metropolitan Room (34 W 22nd St.  NYC).   New York has so much to offer and sometimes we don’t take advantage of all that surrounds us.  There are so many small venues that seat you up front and personal in an intimate atmosphere where you can drink in all the ambiance.  I don’t think there was a bad seat in the joint.  Our table was smack dab in the center and perhaps 5 feet from the stage.

The Metropolitan Room hosts different cabaret acts and having not heard of many of the performers, I google searched and listened to some of their musical styles before selecting  Floanne.  The bass and piano were the perfect compliments to  her soprano vocals. “Love is French” was an entertaining bilingual stroll through the paths of love that seemed to have couples reach across tables with interlaced fingers in the darkness of the candlelit room.

I have to admit, being married to a man who loves the arts is ideal  He is usually the one that seeks out our cultural interludes with subscriptions to a variety of discounted art forms.  The internet makes searching things out so much easier.  I love it!   The holidays get hectic for most people because they can’t always take the time out to enjoy quieter moments.

Many of  Jene’s former dance models keep in touch letting him know about their upcoming NY performances.  Juan Michael Porter will be performing with the Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company this weekend at The Ailey Citigroup Theater (405 W. 55th St).  Opening night is Friday, we’re going to Saturday night’s performance.  Juan Michael is such a powerful dancer and we have been going to his NY performances over the years.

A great way to start off the holiday season… surrounded by music, dance and the arts.

And if you are looking for the perfect artful gift for a special person in your life, you or someone else, come to the 15th Annual Friends of Friends Photography Auction.

Metropolitan Pavilion

123 West 18th Street  5th floor “The Level”

Auction admission is $50, you will receive an auction paddle and the auction catalog.  Bid on prints from the likes of Irving Penn, Willian Klein, Ed Pfizenmaier, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Steve McCurry, Walker Evans, Imogen Cunningham and The Youtts.  So you see our photography prints are in good company.

Tuesday – December 4th  6 – 8pm  Preview and Cocktail Reception

                                               7 -8:30  Live Auction

A gift that gives so much.  The funds benefit The Angkor Hospital for Children, Cambodia.  The photography prints are generously donated by the artists, galleries and private collections.  The Angkor Hospital was a dream of Kenro Izu, whose vision became a reality.  So make a difference this year in the lives of many.  Come, bid and hopefully you will go home with a prized possession of a beautiful work of art.  Thank you Friends Without A Border for all that you do.

Culture overload… museum hopping in 3 days and a dance performance tonight

I love art as much as the next person and NY certainly has plenty to see and do as far as being a cultural center of the world.  Like a tourist who only has a limited time in the big apple, you try to squeeze everything in.  That pretty much has been our week.

Monday and Wednesday:  MoMA.  Jene was interested in seeing the Quay Brothers exhibit and heeded the advice of a fellow photographer, we spent 2 days walking through their exhibit.  With so many videos to watch, we sat in many make shift “theaters” viewing their first animation films, commercials, and my all time favorite dance series.    We try not to whiz through as if on conveyor belts, stopping to read the excerpts of each work.  The Quay brothers work reminds me of Tim Burton’s exhibit in some ways.  The raw technique of the first works giving way to more funding and equipment to enter into more finished almost refined fantasy realm.    The Polish graphic design element certainly influenced the brothers and was evident in this retrospective.

It’s so nice when twins can play well together – collaborate their minds and efforts over a sustained period of time.  Mixing so many mediums together and exposing the different facades of their imaginations.  I guess this is what happens when you don’t put restraints on your creativity.   I wish I knew how to free myself like that (other than tripping on hallucinogenic drugs).  How to start with one idea and build upon it until it spills into another.  Creating and overlapping, weaving, jutting outward, twisting and spiraling and coming up for air to see where your movements have taken you.  Sometimes I feel that I need to close my eyes and open my mind.  To lock myself away with no outside distractions coming into play, just letting go to wander inside myself, not afraid of where it might take me…

Then the phone rings and I am forced back into my reality.  What I marvel the most about what I consider art innovators, is that they are self absorbed (not in a bad way), in their quest to create and almost all else seldom is center stage.  I’m a dabbler in the arts, playing upon the fringes as my life has always revolved around my family and obligations.  That’s okay, I may never be famous or hang in museums but my work does get some recognition and is purchased by a number of art collectors and I’m fine with that.  For my art is not so much a statement, I am not trying to change the world, just share a little of its beauty with others.  It does show how I perceive the world.

Tuesday – MMA :  Jene and I spent the day with a woman we had met at Jene’s solo photo exhibit in Kyoto, Japan.  She was a student at the time and now was in the US for a eco-conference in Ohio and decided to spend some time in NYC.  We took her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and wandered through the Faking It – Manipulated Photography before Photoshop exhibit (runs through 1/27/13) and Regarding Warhol – Sixty Artists, Fifty Years. (runs through 12/31).  I worked in advertising – print production most of my adult life and was always in awe of the photo composite artists – the manipulation and techniques were not foreign to me.  My career spanned the 20th and 21st centuries and I became aware early on for the need of digital manipulation.  At first the craft was left in the hands of technicians but soon artisans learned how to work with a new tool –  computers and the creations became flawless and artistic once again.  Me, I’ve not mastered photoshop in any way, shape or form and would love to manipulate some of my images into the visions that dance around my mind.  Oh well.  It was an interesting exhibit, none-the-less with in-depth explanations of what was done to create the finished photos.

Friday:  – Ailey Theater… Yup tonight we are hoping to get tickets for a performance at the Alvin Ailey Theater.  One of Jene’s former dance models Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch, (a former Martha Graham dancer), is now with 360° Dance Company in their 5th Anniversary Season performing at The Ailey Citigroup Theater, Joan Well Center for Dance this weekend.

4 out of 5 days spent surrounded by art, some may call it overload, others call it bliss.  Hopefully tonight’s performance is not sold out.

Mary Durante-Youtt

www.mdyoutt.com

I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth…

but it almost feels like I have.  I’ve been out of touch with the NY art scene, living in my own small world of family, friends, fun and travel.  But I’m back now and although have not gotten into the full swing of things, I will, (I’m pretty sure).

Alaska – an amazing wilderness,  so much still left untouched by man.  My only wish was for a little more sunshine and time to explore closer than we were able to.  The highlights of the trip were: Waking our first morning of the cruise, lying in bed and seeing a dolphin swimming outside our cabin window,kayaking in the calm inlets of Ketchikan seeing bald eagles nesting on Eagle Island,  cruising in Glacial Bay, listening to and seeing the ice chucks calve into the waters, seeing a pod of humpback whales bubble feeding in Juneau, flight through the mountains, catching a bird’s eye view of Denali (Mt. McKinley), spotting Orcas in Prince William Sound.   Sharing these experiences with Jene.   I did post blog entries on my travel site Flights of Fancy along with some snapshots.  It will take me a month of sundays to edit through all the images and probably another to print a cohesive book of memories.

Of course the art world sort of disappears during the month of August, following the trends of the Europeans.  The beginning of September kicks off all the gallery openings and we missed a fave of ours – Emmanuel Fremin Gallery  – 547 West 27th St.  Suite 508, NYC.  Emmanuel reminded me that although we missed the opening, it’s not too late to view Do Byung Kyu’s exhibit which runs through the November 3rd.  Eerie and surreal photos reminding me of my childhood and how my brother used to play with my dolls.  They would be hurled through the air instead of water as Kyu’s visions but feelings they evoked are similar.

Some upcoming events worth marking on your calendars:

I often refer to Art Slant to find out about openings that are of interest to me.  Just click on their name will link you to their site.

Fall for Dance Festival starting Sept. 27 – October 13  – this is the 9th annual program and runs for 12 nightly performances.  You can buy tickets online.  All tickets are $15.  Where else can you get such a bargain.  NY City Center.  The first 4 night’s performances are already sold out.

September 19th  6:30pm  New York Photo Salon presents the work of photographers at SoHo Photo Gallery  15 White Street, NYC  admission is $10

October 4th  Affordable Art Fair at The Tunnel  28th St and 11th Avenue, NYC.  Be sure to stop by Emmanuel Fremin Gallery’s booth.  Last year’s private party opening night was a zoo.  Although Jene and I were on the guest list and had tickets in our hands, the crowded lobby spilled onto the street and the event planners were not good with crowd control.  One person told us we were queued up in the right line to gain entrance and another told us we had to go outside where it was total mayhem.  I understood that fire codes would only allow a certain number of people in at a time but we were also told that it would be a few minutes before they would allow more people in.  I’m sorry,  but having gone to these types of events before, I was well aware that most people don’t just go in and then leave, they peruse the booths, sip on wine and eat tidbits of food being passed around, talk with gallery owners and that takes more than a few minutes.  So Jene and I left.

Oct 24-27th  PhotoPlus Expo trade show at the Jacob Javits Center. Explore new products, demos, attend seminars, network, and wear comfortable shoes.

Anyway, NYC offers a world of art and culture.  Don’t miss out, art is such a big part of the human factor.
Get out there and embrace it.

Mary

mdyoutt.com

Martha Graham, still worth her weight in gold.

Last night, Jene and I spent the evening in the midst of what I call greatness.  Although Martha Graham no longer graces the stage or walks this earth, her presence abounds within her dance company.

Last night’s performance was breathtaking.   We went to the Gala performance at the City Center with special guest stars, Diana Vishneva and Fang-Yi Sheu.  The Graham company is also performing this week at The Joyce Theater.

A peppy opening number from Appalachian Spring – a celebration of love, featuring Miki Orihara and Tadej Brdnik.  Music by Aaron Copland.

© photographer unknown to me

Diana Vishneva, who performs with the Marinsky Ballet and the American Ballet and Abdiel Jacobsen set the stage with Errand into the Maze.   (We had mezzanine seating with  an ariel view of the performances.  A different perspective (than last years better seats), as we were looking down on the movements).

Martha’s inspiration was taken from the Greek myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur.   Click here for uTube clip

Music by Gian Carlo Menotti.

Diversion of Angels was once described by Martha as three aspects of love: adolescent(dancer in yellow), passionate/erotic (dancer in red) and mature love in perfect balance (dancer in white).   Brilliantly performed.

Music by Norman Dello Joio

(White)  Katherine Crockett, Samuel Pott,  (Red)  Blakeley White-McGuire, Tadej Brdinik,  (Yellow)  Xiaochuan Xia, Lloyd Knight.   Dancers:  Jacqueline Bulnes, Mariya Dashkina Maddux, Andrea Murillo, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Oliver Tobin.  Click here for a uTube clip -a solo performance of Katherine Crockett

I think I was totally blown away by Katherine’s strength exuded in the stillness in her poses.

Chronicle was the final piece which was in 3 excerpts,  pertaining to war.

Photo credit: Blakeley White-McGuire in Martha Graham’s Chronicle; photo by Michele Ballantini

The first Spectre is the prelude – Lament is the feeling that is evoked.  This was by far my favorite piece.  The drama of the drums and the heaviness of the skirt added to the forlorn feeling that came over me.   Fang-Yi Sheu  was mesmerizing.

In this uTube clip, Katherine Crockett performs Spectre

The 2nd segment Steps in the Street tells the story of devastation and homelessness was performed by Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch  and also features the company dancers.   (Carrie, the principle dancer, was also one of Jene’s dance models).

The final segment Prelude to Action featured Fang-Yi Sheu and Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch and company.

Music by Wallingford Riegger

Starting the New Year off in the direction of art

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays wrapped up, it’s time to get back into the swing of things.  Art wise –

Thursday 1/6  6 -8pm.  Emmanuel Freimin Gallery will showcase Gisueppe Mastromatteo’s “Indepensense” at its  reopening of it’s new, larger Chelsea space.

Emmanuel Fremin Gallery

547 West 27th Suite,  Suite 508

With our summer project of restoring our 1970 Cougar Xr7 taking up most of our time and then our 4 week trip cross country, Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s behind us, we are coming out of our shells and promoting art, ours as well as others.

I need to revamp my website and add some new images,  MaryDuranteYoutt and hubby, Jene Youtt is looking to work on a couple of art projects as well.  One of his projects will require a little assistance from me and I am looking forward to the research part of it.  It will get us out and about in the city.  Of course in between, we interject life: family, friends, a house, a pied-à-terre and travel.

Seeking things to do that bring you in out of the cold is a good thing.  We did manage to get over to BAM for the Pina Bausch / Wim Wenders 3-D Pina film last week, which we both thought was incredible.  Jene’s work in theater lighting over the years helped develop his love of dance and of dancers.  It is so nice not to have to coerce a man into going to performances, as he is linked to many dance company sites and gets info on upcoming works.  His photography allows him to create that elusive moment in time and motion.  His propensity to share with me enabled me to create a few lovely images while on his set, and even when I wasn’t shooting, I was learning from him.  I learned how to steam wrinkles out of flowing silks and delicate crepes and saw how he set the mood with lighting.

There’s is that wonderful ethereal quality that captures the feel of the moment – one that is not stagnant which I love.  Jene’s dance images do the same for me although there is a different feel and quality to our images even when we shoot side by side.  The other difference was that he was shooting with strobes and I was using the modeling lights as my only source.    Sometimes I would catch his flash.  Mine were shot with a Canon Rebel and a 50mm lens.

His images below were shot with Canon 20D and a zoom lens.

Creating the images is half the fun, exhibiting your work is the other half.  Having admirers /collectors purchase them is an extra perk.

Pina Bausch / Wim Wender’s film…

If you like modern dance performances, Pina Bausch’s choreography, documentaries or Wim Wender’s films you are going to love “Pina 3-D”  It’s playing at BAM.

Wim Wender, Pina Bausch - Pina 3D

You can see a snippet on uTube  CLICK Here

3 D is not my favorite way to view movies, partly because my eyesight isn’t what it used to be and partly because it isn’t always sharp enough for my liking.  But the beauty of this movie took over and I didn’t notice any longer.  You are drawn into the 3D and I found myself surrounded by their movements.   Dance is such a wonderful expression and takes over where words leave off.  Three of my favorite pieces were the opening dance Rite Of Spring,  Cafe Muller  and Vollmond… who am I kidding – I loved them all.  Sensual and captivating are words that pop into my head.  Beautifully performed, filmed, edited – dance in the 3rd dimension.  WOW!

This movie is playing 4 times a day through Monday 1/2

and 3 times Tuesday 1/3 through Thursday 1/5 at the BAM Rose Cinema  $15 general admission but worth the price.

Click on the bold for uTube clips of the performances.  A must see.

BAM and then some…

© image taken off BAM's website Win Wenders' Pina Bausch 3-D film

 

Wim Wenders’ mesmerizing cinematic tribute to his friend Pina Bausch right here at BAM.

There’s so much to do in this neck of the woods – NYC and it’s boroughs.  Hopefully timing will work out and Jene and I will get over to Brooklyn this afternoon to see the 3-D film.   I’m not a big fan of 3-D glasses but I think this film will be worth the bother of wearing them.

The film runs from Dec, 12 – Jan 2  at 2:00, 4:30, 7:20 and 9:40 pm

Jan 3 – Jan 5th  at 4:30, 7:20 and 9:40  pm

A great way to sit back, relax and be dazzled.

 

Wednesday, my daughter and 12 & 13 yo granddaughters will be hitting the streets around midtown with Jene and I.  My sister and niece will join us all for some holiday touristy stuff.   And it will be nice to spend some time together.  I haven’t seen my niece since she went off to school and the girls haven’t seen each other since July.    I’m sure we will wind our way in and out of shops, grab a hot chocolate, see the bright lights of the tree and then have an early dinner somewhere before heading to the Jersey side and home.   It means a lot to me to share NY experiences with the girls, something I did with my daughter when she was young.

Of course this is one of the busiest times of the year for the city and if you don’t mind the hustle and bustle of the crowded avenues and stores, it can be exhilarating.  A light snow fall would make it more magical but with all this warm air it doesn’t seem likely.   Not that I want the chore of shoveling the mounds of white that we had last year, but a few stray flakes would be okay with me.

Ten for Ten (a win/win situation)

Fall for Dance Festival…  10 performances – tickets $10 each
Tickets go on sale this Sunday at 11:00.  I remember the first time Jene and I went, he said that the prior year there wasn’t much of a line…  That year we waited for well over an hour in the queue… well worht the wait not to mention the price of admission .  It doesn’t get any better than this.

The Festival runs Oct 27th through Nov 6 – For more information click on New York City Center

There are several dance companies that perform in the same program.  Some well known, some that are still reaching for the stars but so deserving.   Each of the 5 programs run for 2 days:

Program 1:   10/27 Thu 8:00pm  & 10/28 Fri 8:00pm

Mark Morris Dance Group, All Fours, Mark Morris

Lil Buck, The Swan, Lil Buck

Trisha Brown Dance Company, Rogues, Trisha Brown

The Joffrey Ballet, Woven Dreams, Edwaard Liang

———————-

Program 2:  10/29 Sat 8:00  &  10/30 Sun 8:00pm 
Vertigo Dance Company, Mana (adapted for Fall for Dance), Noa Wertheim
Drew Jacoby, New Work, Andrea Miller, Artistic Director of Gallim Dance
Jessica Lang Dance, Among the Stars, Jessica Lang
Richard Alston Dance Company, Roughcut, Richard Alston

——————-

Program 3:  11/1 Tue 8:00pm  &  11/2 Wed 8:00pm

The Australian Ballet, Gemini, Glen Tetley

Steven McRae, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, Something Different, Steven McRae

Pontus Lidberg Dance, Faune, Pontus Lidberg

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, THREE TO MAX, Ohad Naharin

———————

Program 4 :  11/3 Thu 8:00pm  &   11/4 Fri 8:00pm

TAO Dance Theater, Weight x 3 (adapted for Fall for Dance), Tao Ye

CCN de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne / Compagnie Käfig, Agwa, Mourad Merzouki

Royal Ballet of Flanders, The Return of Ulysses (adapted for Fall for Dance), Christian Spuck

Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, Pa’ Cuba me voy, Lizt Alfo

——————

Program 5:   11/5 Sat 8:00pm  &  11/6 Sun 3:00pm

Maurice Chestnut, Floating, Maurice Chestnu

New York City Ballet, Polyphonia, Christopher Wheeldon

Liz Gerring Dance Company, Lichtung/Clearing (adapted for Fall for Dance), Liz Gerring

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Festa Barocca, Mauro Bigonzetti

What better way to welcome the fall in New York.