washington dc | Apothecary Shed

Only an Expert: Laurie Anderson, The Weather

November 9, 2021

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Very Small Laurie Anderson

Oh boy, oh boy did we want to go to this one the second we heard about it. Laurie Anderson has overtaken the second floor at the Hirshhorn with an installation that is a bit of a retrospective and a living piece of art at the same time at the same time art at the same time living piece of art at the same time.

Just go. I mean, you’ve been already right?

The Hirshhorn is under construction. Just like the exhibit.

So lets go see… But before we start, I just have to mention in passing that my artistic son was psyched to see the exhibit spontaneously well before I did (beat dad by two weeks in fact), but failed to connect the art he was experiencing to Laurie Anderson’s music (especially Big Science which he has heard a zillion times). I think hooking in some of the great music would be a treat.

I guess this counts. Kinda. Only an expert drum machine.

Flags in unison, except for one flag that was on strike or experiencing technical difficulties, or maybe it is just an iconoclast.

The striking flag. You can tell it is a communist since it is red.

This picture makes the song play in my head.

Anyway, here. This song was only alluded to through text in the exhibit. Have a listen.

This picture will play the song in your head, through your earholes.

Then there was the crow room (actually probably a raven, but I am calling it a crow anyway). For me, this is all about Emily Shepardson. I think Laurie owes Emily some royalties. Or maybe just a make up concert in the living room.

This room is striking, fun, quirky, disturbing, and classic overload all at the same time same time all at the same time classic overload all at the same time.

The raven crow

The crow raven

The craven row

Romey and the crow

Did I mention that my dear friend Spool was along?

The golden canoe looks as seaworthy as some of its NH counterparts

A picture for emily of a picture of the picture, but not this picture, the one IN this picture.

Color!

Kind of a shock after all of that black and white. Big paintings.

Color too!

The tape loop violins

Then it was back to Fall in the beautiful gardens next door.

My art compatriots

I mean who gets to see art like this with two beautiful women? Oh, its me.

Fin.

Eighth Blackbird at the National Gallery of Art

February 23, 2020

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National Gallery of Art

What a place to see one of my all time favorite contemporary music groups. Eighth Blackbird played the National Gallery 2.16.20, and the show was free. As always, the group featured brand new music from living composers, including: Nina Shekhar, Fjóla Evans, Andy Akiho, Holly Harrison, David Lang, Viet Cuong, Jonathan Bailey Holland, and Julius Eastman. This show included some ringers in for violin, flute, and clarinet.

Lisa Kaplan, fearless leader and director of eighth blackbird

My favorite set was the second, and my favorite piece was Viet Cuoug’s Electric Aroma (2017),

The most precious thing in the museum was Cora, of course.

Cora does contemporary

The setting (no pictures or recording during the show)

After the concert, there were a few minutes for art.

Then it was out and on the metro for cocktails and dinner at Baba.

Sundown on the mall

Smithsonian sculpture

Wholly Emily

Baba’s bar

Grace Potter at the Anthem: Rock and Roll, Baby

January 27, 2020

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Great show. Lots of dancing and joy.

Though this was the second encore, the solo version of Release was the most powerful song of the set. Yes please. Need some of this.

Rock and roll ending.

DC Art Therapy: Hirshhorn, Phillips, Renwick, Plus

December 12, 2019

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The best layover ever is just about right. We made plenty of time for art on Wednesday. First stop after breakfast was the Hirshhorn. This museum is really going places. The new director has it popping. If you already did that once or twice and you have not been under the new regime, go.

Smithsonian in winter

The color wheel is the first use of the second floor circle that has perfect sensibility.

Downstairs had some cool stuff too.

The highlight of this Hirshhorn visit was the fact that Manifesto was playing. I saw this in Stuttgart in 2017 and was utterly blown away. This is a must see video installation, even if you don’t do video art (generally speaking, I don’t).

Here is the official trailer. Absolutely stunning masterpiece.

I now love Cate Blanchett. Watching her work in such a close stunning cinematic set of visuals is life changing.

After lunch, which may or may not have included a bottle of Gigondas, we headed to the Phillips.

Finally, parking karma still intact, we headed to the Renwick. Sadly, Jacob missed it.

Three museums was not enough to satisfy the art goddess. Fortunately, Richard rode to the rescue. His collection is world class.

The National (Anthem)

December 6, 2017

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Yeah sorry about the title, but we saw The National perform at the brand spanking new Anthem performance space in Washington DC. Great show. Here are some pictures. Make sure to watch the Fake Empire video!

Before

After

Art and Technology at the National Gallery

July 27, 2017

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Meeting at Leonardo’s “Ginevra de’ Benci”

Richard Danzig has some very interesting insights into technology and art. A Wednesday tour of the National Gallery of Art was just what the doctor ordered.

Context provided by Monet

Back in time.

Of note: lack of perspective, colors, religious theme, little man Jesus, non-human nature of beings, fill

Click to fill

Of note: lack of perspective, colors, economics of materials, religious theme, little man Jesus, human nature of beings, fill, fingers

Mary’s face shows emotion and internal dialog.

What is she thinking?

Of note: improving perspective (not that great though), bright colors, economics of materials, religious theme, little man Jesus, human nature of beings, background on earth, intrigue

what cho lookin at?

side channel

Of note: shape, focus, improving perspective, bright colors, economics of materials, religious theme, baby Jesus, human nature of beings, social scene, background on earth, many side stories, materials constrain work, fill

which way is the donkey looking now?

retouched, adjusted visage

Pile em in

Of note: humanity/intelligence, focus, detail of cloth, bright, religious theme, human nature of subject

towards impressionism in the brushwork

hey look, it’s a detailed human

lights. camera. action. Our tour guide talks Titian

Of note: myth allows humanism, symbolism of dogs, domesticity/afterglow and hunting, focus, light burst, human nature of subject

Back to Leonardo

Of note: humanity, blue background distance, impressionism, oil, technique, symbolism, real subject, colors, math, science

landscape

Fast forward in a time warp.

Context provided by Monet

Of note: humanity, cloud, impressionism, oil, technique, motion, real subjects, colors, light source, faces obscured, models are family

And then lunch by the waterfall

fin

Science! Rain! (in reverse order)

April 23, 2017

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It started here, in the wisteria.

Caution: Wisteria leads to SCIENCE

Or maybe it was the wine. Who knows. Anyway, science happened.

So watch out for that.

Next up was poster making, a problem caused by many science classes and perpetrated on anxious moms the day before the science project is due.

Why does the computer scientist need a lab coat? Nobody knows.

Thanks to Troopers for making this a few years back.

The March for Science was in DC. It rained. Speakers still have no idea how to use a mic. Talks are boring.

Muppets do science well for puppets.

A poster (gasp) of a muppet pretending to do science. Meta.

There were some good signs.

Fortunately some actual musicians saved the day.

Then it was time to line up for the “march.”

The let most anybody in here, even computer security gurus.

Stop and go

Nobody thought to make the lights green, and the nerds all stopped.

Rain causes cocktails according to our one experiment.

Raining OUTside which is fine when INside

Have a Negroni in the name of science.

Finally, as a cure for science, try Trump. He’s just fucking stupid enough to try to bully it out.

Exactly

Yes indeedy.

Aimee Mann Plays Lincoln

April 23, 2017

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If you have not yet listened to Aimee Mann’s new LP Mental Illness, stop reading and get it. It’s great work.

Like me, you may listen to it over and over again as it seeps into your brain. Track 1 Goose Snow Cone is my favorite new song (especially the string arrangement).

Played live, the songs are just as powerful even though the string quartet is not on the tour (replaced by a fantastic pianist and his trusty synthesizer). Anybody who knows me knows how I feel about real strings. Hire more violinists!

Aimee Mann played the Lincoln Theater last Thursday with Jonathan Coulton and a supporting band that includes her producer on bass. The band was super talented.