Be as selfless as melting ice…

detail from ‘9 Dragons’ by Chen Rong (1244CE)

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston currently has an exhibit that sounds remarkable.  Fresh Ink: Ten takes on Chinese tradition juxtaposes traditional Chinese works with contemporary works commissioned by MFA curator of Chinese art Hao Sheng.  Sheng charged 10 Chinese artists with selecting a work from the MFA Chinese collection and creating a new work in response.  Artists chose pieces ranging from a 3000 year old Shang Dynasty bronze to a found object, a jagged rock collected by a 17th century Ming Dynasty scholar.  Two artists broke the “rules” set forth by curator Sheng.  Arnold Chang chose “Number 10” by Jackson Pollock, from the MFA collection, as his inspiration.  Xu Bing went outside the Museum to create a 15 foot long scroll, the “Mustard Seed Garden Landscape Scroll,” in reaction to a 17th century manual for painters.  Read about this intriguing exhibit  in “How to talk back to a Chinese master” by Lee Lawrence in the January 27 Wall Street Journal, or online. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703989004575653131588382898.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_5 )  Even better, snag a cheap flight into Logan or the Manchester, NH airport and see it for yourself.  Fresh Ink runs through February 13.  Check it out.

Viddy well, little brother, viddy well

Film brothers and sisters, take a look at video sharing site Vimeo.  Not YouTube, Vimeo is a place and a community dedicated to sharing videos as personal expression, a great site to see what other filmmakers are thinking and doing.  In addition to the tone and intent of the videos, Vimeo offers serious user controls over viewing and downloading of your work.  Set up an account to upload your videos. 

Also the Watkins Film School channel is in place,just waiting for the creative spark.

Check it out.

You know nothing….

Marshal Mcluhan (Bettmann/Corbis)

If you are on the fence about running out to buy, or double clicking to buy, Douglas Coupland’s new book Marshall McLuhan: You Know Nothing About My Work!, take a look at the cover story of the January 9 New York Times Book Review.  In his review, David Carr comments on the “odd title for a weird book.”  Like many a pop culture icon, McLuhan is better known than he is understood.  To quote Carr, “Yes, we all know Marshall McLuhan was an intellectual rock star, but what in blazes was he talking about?”  Coupland’s book looks like a good introduction, then come to the Library to check out McLuhan’s Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. A bonus for online readers- be sure to check out Jennifer McDonald’s  Paper Cuts blog for January 7 to view the origin of the “odd title.” (http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/misunderstanding-mcluhan-flashback-to-annie-hall/)

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Your library is sooo au courant!

We’re adding the recent documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” to our collection. Be a part of the controversy by checking it out when we open next week.

There’s an interesting article about the controversy surrounding the film (was it all a big hoax?) in today’s New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/movies/awardsseason/06bagger.html?_r=1&ref=arts

Dip into the Vat

To see how the Pope finds sources for his research papers, check out David Mendelsohn’s article God’s Librarians in the January 3, 2011 issue of the New Yorker. The Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, or the Vatican Apostolic Library, is called the Vat by users and scholars and contains an almost unimaginable collection of manuscripts and archived objects.  The collection began in the mid-15th century and reopened after renovations last September.  In addition to protecting the priceless manuscripts, the Vat is in the process of digitizing and cataloging in order to make the library and the Secret Archives less secret and more available to the world.  Unfortunately, the Vat’s website is till under construction so, just ask a Librarian for online access to the New Yorker or come in and have a cup of coffee and read the magazine.

Article about Watkins Instructor Sharon Lee Hart

The Tennessean recently ran a feature article on Sharon Lee Hart’s photography exhibit, “Sanctuary”, at Tinney Contemporary in Nashville. A fine read for a fine show!

Read it here.