Studio 54 "One Night Only"
by John J. Kerecz
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Studio 54, the world's most legendary nightclub, reopened for "one night only" on Tuesday, October 18, in Manhattan at its original location to celebrate the Studio 54 radio station on SiriusXM. Lots of time was spent on the details so that guests were taken back to the excitement of what the club was like back in the '70s. The notorious “moon and spoon” hung over the stage, aerial dancers, shirtless cocktail waiters served drinks, the original DJs spun dance music, and celebrities mingled with Siriusxm guests. A few of the celebrities in attendances were Donald Trump, Susan Lucci, Keith Richards, Marky Ramon, Randy Jones of the Village People, Kevin Bacon, Stephen Baldwin, Gayle King, Cameron Diaz, Isaac Mizrahi, Tony Shafrazi, Clive Davis, Honey Dijon, The Blonds, Murray Hill, Lorenzo Martone, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kayvon Zand, Martha Stewart, and countless beautiful male and female models. |
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Annenberg Space for Photography presents:
“Digital Darkroom”
Posted by: Don Kamlager
One or two artistic geniuses in one room is a major feat but
Annenberg brought 16 (one was unavailable) to the opening.
They came from the US and Europe.
All of the photographers used Photoshop except, Jerry
Uelsmann, and to the untrained eye, it was impossible to see the
difference. Leonard Aube, executive director of the Annenberg
Foundation, must be applauded for his concept of presenting a
“theme based showing” as opposed to an “artist based showing”.
He introduced all the photographers who participated in
this showing.
Jerry Uelsmann said that one of the disadvantages of being old
is that he missed out on new techniques like Photoshop but said
that he would continue using the darkroom with traditional
techniques. After
viewing his works, he does not need to change.
The video showed how Jerry altered his photos in the
darkroom, the same qualities as Photoshop artists where needed
with patience, detail and imagination; all of which are
processed by Jerry in abundance.
With attention to detail, the creation of a magical work and the
final image was breathtaking.
These photographers are producing works of art.
Walking around the gallery, one did not feel as though he
was looking at photography but whether fine works of art.
You really need to look at any photo multiple times to
appreciate the work and imagination needed to produce the image.
The curator of the show, Russell Brown, Senior Creative Director
of Adobe Systems, thanked Leonard for the opportunity to work on
such a show. He
indicated that he did not believe any gallery had the technical
ability to present these Photoshop Masters.
The images could not be appreciated in a video
presentation but after meeting with the staff, seeing the
facility and analyzing the equipment he relented, and agreed to
accept the curatorial advisor position.
Russell is regarded as one of the leaders of the
Photoshop application.
His tutorials are revered by Photoshop users.
Russell, an Emmy Award winner in 2008 and Photoshop Hall
of Fame Winner in 2002, is held in high esteem by all the
photographers.
The exhibiting artists/photographers consisted of Pierre
Beteille, Joel Grimes, Ted Grudowski, Claudia Kunin, Chris
Levine, Bonny Pierce Lhotka, Mike Pucher, Jean-Francois Rauzier,
Martine Roch, Christopher Schneberger, Brooke Shaden, Stanley
Smith, Maggie Taylor, Jean-Marie Vives and the lone traditional
darkroom artist, Jerry Uelsmann of which Leonard introduced to
the audience.
An example of Uelsmann’s work, below, from the old school darkroom, no Photoshop, a photographer who was ahead of his time; time has now caught up with him and these new photographers can produce altered images, but he still remains ahead of the class.
Pierre Beteille, self taught, flew in from Paris to be present. His works are fun. His comments highlighted his sense of humor, his down to earth personality and his quick wit. He stated that he was not impressed with his work but said the below photo is his favorite.
Martine Roch, also from Paris, based her photos on her love for animals. In a conversation with Martine, she emphasized her love for animals and her desire to show that animals have different personalities. She indicated that her dog was the reason she first decided to present animals as images of people personalities. She felt that she could show the different personalities by putting them in different clothes whether it be a dress or suit. During the video presentation, her photos evoked smiles and appreciative chuckles. Her depiction of animals as people became somewhat of an internet sensation on sites such as Flickr.
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Brooke Shaden’s photographs could inspire
a scene in a movie.
Actually I believe that Ron Howard
used one of her photos as a theme for a short film.
She stated that she searches for
very visual nature sites where she can place her model and then
create a photo with character, tension and a lush visual sense.
Brooke spends considerable time searching in second hand stores
for neutral colored dresses that present an image visualized in
a scene.
She then looks for a site in which
the model and dress fit naturally and then she brings that
visualization to life.
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Jean-Francois Rauzier, another Parisian, coined the term hyperphoto to describe his technique of dropping hundreds and sometimes thousands of photographs into a single image, each image has a stunning resolution and complexity, marrying microcosm to microcosom. When you first look at the photo you wonder how did he get so much into a single photo, then you zoom in and in and in and then you see the fine details of the picture. So extraordinary and breathtaking, it leaves you speechless. Go to his website and check it out or better yet, go to the Annenberg Space For Photography and you can really appreciate his work.
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The showing includes a video presentation with interviews and
video of the artists/photographers crafting their work.
It shows the amount of work, time, and attention to
detail and imagination needed to produce these extraordinary
pieces. There are
numerous works that are hanging in the gallery which you can
dissect for as long as you want.
After viewing the video you realize the work, time and
imagination needed.
Finally, the 3D presentation is a must.
You may try to reach out and touch the movement of the
photos as they appear to come to life before you.
Take a friend, spend a few hours and totally enjoy the
Digital Darkroom.
Venue: Annenberg Space for Photography
Website: hhtp://www.annenbergspacefor photography.org
Location: 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Venue schedule: Wednesday through Friday 11AM-6 PM Saturday:
11AM-7:30 PM Sunday: 11AM-6 PM
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Admission: FREE
Cirque du Soleil
Iris, “A
Journey though the World of Cinema”
By Don Kamlager
Cirque du Soleil’s new production, saluting the movies, premiered at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, Saturday, September 25, 2011. Unlike the industry that it honors, there are no retakes, no editing, no scenes on the cutting room floor, no prima donas demanding camera time-just real time performances that require near perfection. Quebec’s number one export deserves its reputation as a super alterna-circus.
“Iris” is a lyrical, fanciful, kinetic, visual foray into the art of movie-making. We go from black and white to color, from silent to sound, live performances to live video, from illustration to animation, from close-ups to sweeping camera angles, and from the sublime to the surreal all in a matter of a couple of hours. The action is fast-paced and non-stop. It is artistry to strength and endurance. It is high above the audience trapeze and vine swinging to comedians rising from beneath the floor. It is entertainment for the young and old and for the artistic and athletic.
First, words cannot do justice to the performers, the performance itself, the creativity of Parisian, Philippe Decoufle, and the music of Danny Elfman. This was visual overload which was exploited by the music of Elfman. His music gave the performances more impact, soothing one moment, throbbing another and reaching crescendos when the performances were heart stopping. This was not the Danny Elfman of the “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” days. The score had substance and razz matazz.
The opening act is absolutely spectacular. Andrew and Kevin, two sculptured athletes, perform high-flying, breath-taking aerial swings that highlight their athletic prowess. The movies have had their share of vine swinging, Tarzan, but none have you talking to yourself like the stunts that these twins demonstrate in their aerial show. They start as a singular person and then split apart like the identical twins they are, one swinging one way while the other swung in another direction but always meeting on the down swing. Muscular but nimble, they swung high above the audience with no apparent safety net. Honestly, the audience was holding their breath on some of the swings, twists, aerial somersaults and wondering how two men could sustain the strength and focus for as long as they did. Danny Elfman’s music added to the suspense of the opening performance. The score changed pace depending upon the moment and the difficulty of the move. These were athletes at their best who performed at a heart pounding pace with incredible skill and pure excitement. I believe their performance was more Olympian than Hollywood.
Ballet in mid-air.
“Iris”, as stated, is a Hollywood-themed circus so the mandatory movie characters must make their appearances. Buster (Rapheal Cruz), a Buster Keaton little pianist, languishes over Scarlett, a Jean Harlow type character. She is played by several different ladies depending on her required skill. Buster plays a sad melody on his piano before he shows his true skill with a 360 degree flip (actually a few flips). This Buster-Scarlett romance comes and goes throughout the remainder of the program. It is woven into various scenes but for the most part, forgettable, because the heart of all Cirque du Soleil’s shows is the acrobatic performers.
The Icarian acrobats that follow the high flying twins have bumble bee looking costumes with antennas. Despite this apparent hindrance, their athletically demanding routine is a wonderful sight of color and movement. These nine Chinese acrobats, I guess this is how the Communist Olympic champions can pursue their craft in a capitalist world, make gravity-defying human pyramids and contort their bodies in shapes that seem humanly impossible. Designer, Phillippe Guillotel, certainly provides the show with colorful and very imaginative costumes which enhances the circus like atmosphere. Phillippe Guillotel has worked extensively with director, Phillippe Decoufle’, since 1985.
Do not try this at home. I do not know about you but my back hurts just looking at these performers. As previously stated, words cannot do justice to this amazing show. These performers possess skill, strength, endurance and mental toughness that very few athletes can duplicate.
Another outstanding group of performers consists of a female contortionist from Russia, trampoline acrobats, trapeze artists, dancers and even actresses. If you have seen previous Cirque du Soleil’s, this is standard fare; however, this show stays to its conception as a Hollywood movie-themed program.
The enlarged images of the performers on a backdrop screen throughout the program make these acts larger than life. The visual images projected on the screen, the music and the live performances render this an extravagant event.
The second half of the show provides some Hollywood comic relief with its Academy Award parody. Just as the “real” awards show is demanding on one’s patience, this one is as well; likewise, the audience is craving for more acrobats, trapeze artists and contortionists who fortunately reappear. As in real life, the awards show finally comes to an end and we return to artistry of this troupe.
This is when we get into the circus atmosphere with a Hollywood set backdrop. Director, Decoufle’, a French choreographer and dancer, transforms the show into a Busby Berkeley-like revue. There is so much happening on the stage it is easy to miss some enjoyable performers. Clowns, dancers, acrobats everywhere are filling the stage with energy and excitement.
Jean Rabasse, the set designer, designs one of the scenes as though the performers were part of a film strip. The performers constantly move from one cube to another as though you were looking at a strip of film, shot-by-shot. This was perhaps the most ingenious of his many fascinating sets. The large screens with amplified pictures of the live performers, the editing room effect generated by the images and movement gave the show its journey through the Hollywood theme.
The stage with all its glamour, glitz, razzmatazz, colorful images and energy shares the focus with the incredible performers. A unique touch was the live musicians who were perched in the side lodges. The musicians were certainly into the performers just as they were to their music. I believe that this is Elfman’s best work: the mood changes, the dramatic effect it had on individual scenes within the performances, the circus-like score when needed, he was imaginative and genius.
The set with the skyline backdrop reminded me of one of the West Side Story with trampoline artists jumping from one rooftop to another - none stop action for quite a period of time.
The product was actually overwhelming. The man hours needed
for this production are inconceivable but the audience is given
two plus hours of the best entertainment they will see this
year.
The last act was devoted to Scarlett as she did hand stands and swung high above the audience. Her performance was more of an artist rather than an athlete. The director, Phillippe Decoulfe’, realized that the attention span of present day audiences is short so he designed the show so that the audience had many choices so as not to strain their brain - just concentrate on sight and sound.
Phillippe Decoufle’-director, Danny Elfman-music director, and Jean Rabasse-set designer, deserve special accolades for their imagination, genius and certainly hard work in presenting this wonderful show. I know that the theme was Hollywood but I can only imagine how the people during the Roman Empire days felt when they went to the Coliseum. They saw live shows. They saw performances that defied their imagination. They saw performers with incredible skills that risked their lives for the entertainment of the audience. They left unable to adequately describe to their friends what they had seen. They could only say “you must see it for yourself”.
“Iris” runs through December 31, 2011 at the Kodak Theater and then will start its tour to a city near you.
Go to
www.cirquedusoleil.com and
www.kodaktheatre.com for more information.
The first interview with
“Miss Sport Football Hillary Fisher”
1) Tell us something about the first "Miss Sport Football"
that qualifies you to carry such a title... Female Ambassador to
Football!
Since I was a little girl I have always been intrigued with
sports, especially football. I think it truly is the most
exciting sport to watch and when you watch a game you can't help
but become a fan. Holding the "Miss Sport Football" title
is about being fun, fit, active, and healthy and I encompass all
these qualities! During the competition I received the greatest
compliment ... being dubbed the most "Fun" girl there! I loved
hearing that.
2) Model we can understand but chef? How did this come about?
I get this question a lot! Everyone is always shocked to find
out I am not only a model but also a pastry chef. I must
admit it is a unique combination! One of my favorite toys as a
child was my easy bake oven, so needless to say as long as I can
remember I have enjoyed being in the kitchen. Growing up my
sister and I were always in the kitchen baking and trying new
recipes. After graduating high school I decided to attend
Culinary School because food was something I was so passionate
about and I thoroughly enjoyed. I had a hard time deciding
if I was going to study baking or pastry but I ultimately
decided to go with the pastry because I really wanted to learn
how to make every dessert imaginable. I still want to
learn more and I hope to one day am able to work under an
amazing chef to sharpen my skills and expand my talent. Hands on
training in a respected restaurant would be a fun way to learn.
3) I see that I am for Kids is your official charity... can you
describing what being involved in a children's charity means to
you?
I'm all for charity and especially when it involves children!
Our children are our future and we need to nurture and care for
them.
4) What was the competition like?
The Miss Sport Football competition was a ton of fun! The
contest was held in Miami and it was a very pleasurable
experience. The other contestants and I had the luxury of
staying at The Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne and it was such a
relaxing time. We enjoyed the pool, beach, and spa making it
feel like a mini vacation more than a competition. Dr.
Ivan Rusilko had a lot of fun activities set up for us including
a shopping "Blitz" to buy our sports costumes, photo shoots on
the beach, a yacht, and in a beautiful Miami condo, and of
course the main event where I was crowned Miss Sport Football.
It was an amazing time and Dr. Rusilko and his crew really put
together a great competition with beautiful contestants and fun
events all of which were run very well.
5) Who was your biggest competition the contest?
My biggest competition in the contest was Miss Pittsburgh and
Miss Wild Card. The second I met both of these beautiful
charismatic ladies I knew I had to be on my game in every way
possible!!! I'm sure it was a tough call for the judges
and sure enough we ended up being the top 3! The greatest part
is that the three of us really bonded and all became friends. We
are already planning a trip together for our birthdays which are
only a few days apart, we are all Pisces. Pisces & brunettes
rule!
6) What is really your favorite sport?
Football!
7) If you could do any job in the world what would it be and
why?
I have two dream jobs which combine into one ultimate dream job.
Combining my two passions; Modeling and being a pastry chef, I
would love to one day have a cooking show like my role model
Martha Stewart but maybe with a little bit more sex appeal!
My backup "Ultimate Dream Job" if I can have one, would be
becoming a Victoria's Secret Model...every girl’s fantasy job I
know.
8) What are 3 things you want to do before you die?
Three things I'd like to do before I die are: 1.Travel the world
indulging in every type of cuisine possible. 2. Own a house on
the beach. 3. I'm a hopeless romantic so I'd have to say find my
prince charming to share all my dreams with and live happily
ever after!
9) Where is one place you would like to travel to during this
year?
Anywhere & everywhere!!! Preferably somewhere tropical, hot,
sunny, & sandy... but I am not picky!
10) What is the sexiest thing a guy can do for you? You can do
for a guy?
I think confidence in a man is sexy! I love when I am with a man
that exudes confidence. I can feel it in his hands when he is
touching, holding, and kissing me all while making that
prolonged steamy eye contact that makes me melt. Yes that is
sexy. The sexiest thing I can do for my man? I'd have to
say pampering him by truly knowing what he needs and giving it
to him...whether is a thoughtful gift, a back massage, or
planning a sexy sensual night.
Dr.
Ivan Rusilko
"The Best Cosmetic Procedure..
Is Adding a Smile"
For additional information, please visit the official
website at
http://www.misssportfootball.com