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Rose Collection by Michael Kalish at Artworks Gallery

By Pauline Adamek · Comments (2)
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Michael Kalish - portrait with rose

A new series of sculptures by artist Michael Kalish have “˜bloomed”™ in the City of Roses, at Artworks Gallery in Pasadena. This exhibition is now showing until April 30th, 2010.

Kalish has opted to show his latest creations at his longtime collaborator Christopher Forney”™s Artworks Gallery in Pasadena. In the new series of twenty-five works, Kalish develops a theme that has been central to his work since he started working with cut metal license plates and the twisted remains of old automobiles, the tension between manufactured inorganic materials and the representation of natural forms.

This is even more apparent in the new series of sculptures on show at Artworks Gallery where the romantic and lyrical subjects of the rose and the bouquet of flowers are created from the rusting remains of old automobiles. The floral theme has been a constant stimulus to Michael Kalish”™s imagination since he first developed it in his early days with Artworks Gallery. A recent display of Japanese Geisha heads at Artworks revealed him cutting and bending metal to create the floral patterns on his subject”™s kimonos. In this new “Rose” series, which he identifies as a “Rust Renaissance,” he reveals his developing approach to sculpting metal as it finds a new and nuanced beauty in the rose and the flower bouquet.

Kalish finds life and beauty in the decaying and tortured forms of old auto parts, mangled fenders and scratched hoods are transformed into organic shapes with a new and imaginative existence. The alchemical transformation of the decay and destruction that forms the “˜history “˜ of his raw materials into a new poetic existence is at the heart of Kalish”™s new work where the tension of the “˜rose”™ and the “˜rust”™ is exquisitely balanced in a newly discovered lyricism.

The exhibition is engaging in its simplicity. The large roses are sturdy and three-dimensional, inviting a tactile response that defies the usual mind-set of most art exhibits (meaning, you may look and admire but not touch).

Michael Kalish - geisha

Amongst the variety of roses is a standout piece. Like me, the Mayor of Pasadena, Mr. Bill Bogaard, was very impressed by one of Kalish”™s unusual works on opening night. The work in particular was the only piece that was not a rose, rather a large portrait of a Japanese geisha intricately constructed from pieces of metal. Kalish depicts the geisha as if we are standing behind her, presenting a special focus on the most erotic area of a geisha, the luxuriously bare and powdered nape of the neck.

It”™s a magnificent piece; a delicate, female flower amongst metal roses.

Artworks Gallery
59 w. Del Mar Blvd.,
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 229.0700

Call or email — info@artworksgallery.com — for opening hours.

Review by Pauline Adamek

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Tonight — JACCC celebrates its 30TH ANNIVERSARY

By Pauline Adamek · Comments (5)
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Kenny Endo - taiko

Tonight, Tuesday, March 30, 2010, starting at 7pm, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) will present its 30th Anniversary Gala, celebrating 30 memorable years as an anchor institution in the Little Tokyo community.

The Gala, presented at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre, will include a concert featuring four preeminent musical artists, and is also a fundraiser supporting the entire lineup of JACCC 30th Anniversary Season programs and activities.

The Gala concert commences at 7pm and features taiko legend Kenny Endo; jazz piano virtuoso Keiko Matsui; five-time Grammy winner Daniel Ho; and Japanese music superstar Jero, who has reinvented and revitalized the Japanese folk ballads known as enka.

Among the star-studded performers lending their talent to the Gala Celebration is Grammy Award-winning musician Daniel Ho. Never confined to one genre or instrument, Ho has been creating music that speaks to every one. “I began to realize that we all have similar stories to tell,” he muses, “The characters are different and sometimes the stories are in other languages, but we all identify with the same joys and struggles of life.”

On his participation of the JACCC 30th Anniversary Celebration, Ho says, “The JACCC has been like family to me for almost twenty years. I hope to be around for the 40th celebration as well!”

Following the concert, the celebration continues with a reception on the beautiful JACCC Plaza (designed by world-famous sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi) to which all guests are invited.

Food, drink, and music will provide a lively and festive atmosphere to culminate the evening beneath the stars with JACCC friends, family, and fellow supporters.

Individual tickets for this fund-raising event start at $150.
For sponsorship information, please contact Jessie Kikuchi at (213) 628-2725, ext. 142 or jkikuchi@jaccc.org

WHAT: JACCC — 30th Anniversary Gala

WHEN: Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, 7pm onwards
WHERE: Aratani/Japan America Theatre
at 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

ADMISSION: $150.00 (fundraiser)

For invitations, please contact Jessica Kikuchi at (213) 628-2725 ext. 142

About the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC)
Founded in 1980, the JACCC is the largest Asian American cultural center of its kind in the U.S. and is the preeminent presenter of Japanese, Japanese American and Asian American arts. JACCC is home to a number of civic and arts organizations and serves as the cultural and community focal point of Japanese Americans throughout Southern California.

ALSO –

The 30th Anniversary celebration will continue well after the Gala Celebration on Tuesday, March 30. Japanese music superstar Jero will follow with a concert on Wednesday, March 31st 2010

ALSO - Taiko performance by Kenny Endo — Saturday, April 3rd at 8 pm.

Kenny Endo will finish off the week-long festivities on Saturday, April 3rd, with a homecoming concert of his own, celebrating the 35-year mark of his successful career.

World-renowned for his technique and artistry, Los Angeles native Kenny Endo will perform and demonstrate the art of taiko at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre on Saturday, April 3rd at 8 pm.

Beginning his musical journey as a jazz drummer, Endo launched his taiko career with the influential and groundbreaking L.A. group, Kinnara Taiko. Since then, he has become a paramount figure of the taiko community, and enjoys the distinction of being the first non-Japanese national to have received a natori, or classical stage name, in the traditional drumming style known as hougaku hayashi.

Joining Endo on stage will be a star-studded group of friends and fellow artists, including Kinnara Taiko, On Ensemble, Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese and western flutes, taiko), Wu Man (pipa), Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (vibraphones, drum set, ukulele), Derek Nakamoto (piano), and June Kuramoto (koto).

This peerlessly talented and diverse cast of performers will explore an expansive range of musical expression, truly a unique and inspiring performance that shouldn”™t be missed!

Tickets are $35 for orchestra, $30 for balcony. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more at $32.50/$27.50 and for JACCC Members at $30/$25. For more information, visit www.jaccc.org, or call Johnny Mori at (213) 628-2725 ext. 139.

WHAT: Celebrating 35 Years of the Art of Taiko with Kenny Endo and Friend
WHEN: Saturday, April 3rd, 2010, 8 PM
WHERE: Aratani/Japan America Theatre at 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
ADMISSION: $35 orchestra, $30 balcony
$32.50/$27.50 Groups of 10+
$30/$25 Members
BOX OFFICE: For tickets go here or call (213) 680-3700
INFO: Visit www.jaccc.org, call (213) 628-2725 ext. 139 or by email mori@jaccc.org

Report by Pauline Adamek

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Categories : Concert, Culture, Music, Performance, Review
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Photojournale – Connections Across a Human Planet – launches in Cali

By Pauline Adamek · Comments (3)
Saturday, March 27th, 2010

A stunning collection of photos from some of the world”™s finest documentarians, visionaries and front-line photojournalists, Photojournale is celebrating its launch in book form at a party in Berkeley, California, on March 30th, 2010.

photo by Lisa Hogben

Join Fotovision in celebrating the book release of Photojournale Connections Across a Human Planet, at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Library, from 7:00pm to 9:30pm, March 30th, 2010. There will be a reception along with a lecture/slideshow and book signing.

This remarkable book and photo collection evokes a vast range of emotional responses and was edited virtually, spanning the continents and our planet, by the contributing photographers, most of whom have never met in person. The main idea behind the project was to create something for the real world that brings value to the virtual product.

photo by Yaniv Nadav

The narrative of Photojournale Connections Across a Human Planet follows the concept of cradle to grave; Childhood, education/school, adolescence, work, home, ritual, religion, celebration, sport, art, conflict, aging, sickness, death, mourning and remembrance. It”™s an emotional and human journey of images drawn from the documentary stories, captured moments or situations from every continent.

Photojournale Connections Across a Human Planet illustrates the common truths that connect the human experience and is represented by photographers from around the world. The book is drawn as an edited anthology of photo documentary and photojournalism stories that are published on Photojournale.com

The photographers in this book represent a list of exhibitions, awards, publications that include but are not limited to:

Geo Mundo, National Geographic, Time, Burn magazine, 100eyes, Reflex, PeaceReporter, Focus, International Herald Tribune,Vienna Reporter, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Financial Times, Czech Press Photo, Fotoweek, International Colour Awards, Angkor Photo Festival, PDN photo Plus, Russian State Ethnographic Museum, Russian Cultural Centre Bratislava, Tate Britain Gallery, VPRO, BBC, Channel 4, Deadline Press Photos.

Book Launch Location:

UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Library, 121 North Gate Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

TIME & DATE:

7:00pm to 9:30pm,
March 30th, 2010.

For more information go here

photo by Stephane Lehr

Photojournale Connections Across A Human Planet
Softcover Edition
ISBN 978-2-8399-0593-0

Preview the book here:

Foreword: Ami Vitale
Design : Peter Barwick
Editors : John Horniblow, Lisa Hogben, Michael Fox, and Erica McDonald. Assisted by Santanu Chakrabati.

Cover image: Yaniv Nadav
Back cover: Igor Sherman

PHOTOGRAPHERS:

John Horniblow, Peter A Calvin, Jiri Tondl, Michael Fox, Lisa Hogben, Erik Messori, Alfonso De Castro, Morgan Hagar, Jonathan Taylor, Jaime R Carrero, Jan Sochor, Alex Masi, Teresita Chavarria, Agnieszka Balut, Igor Sherman, Jamie Bailey, Hes Mundt, Alfredo Munoz, Walter Gaya, Rick Carter, Petr Antonov, Sam Bienstock, Ouria Tadmor, Jeroen Leonhard, Gabriela Bulisova, Santanu Chakrabarti, Tyler Freeman Smith, diLuNa, Amir Mahmoodi, Ben Milpas, John Hulme, Tashi Tobgyal, Gazi Nafis Ahmed, Jeff Chouw, Lara Wechlser, Stephen Uhraney, Yaniv Nadav, John Horniblow, Joaquin Gomez Sastre, Jeryc Garcia, Mike Hutmacher (Skippy Sanchez), Jan Bierkens, Alexander von Spreti, Daniel Kaifer, Angelo Cuissi, Anamitra Chakladar, Md.Kabirul Islam, Debasish Aich, Kiên Hoàng Lê, Alex Kotlik, Nilanjan Mitra, Gulbin Ozdamar, Gianfranco Spatola, Pedro Tzontemoc, Supian Ahmed, Saverio Serravezza, Stephane Lehr, Patricio Valenzuela Hohmann, Ertugrul Kilic and Bea Ahbeck.

Report by Pauline Adamek

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Categories : Culture, Photography
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Love and lively banter – ‘Much Ado’ at A Noise Within

By Pauline Adamek · Comments (7)
Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Photo Credit for All Images: Craig Schwartz

Shakespeare can be problematic to stage on a small scale. Large, unwieldy casts can clutter a tiny stage. The 400-year-old antique text can prove repetitive and wordy and the storylines archaic in their presentation of a woman”™s place in society.

The elegant staging of the Glendale-based theatre company A Noise Within”™s version of Much Ado About Nothing has no problem with any of these common issues. Rather, the show is a lively night of theatre, music and dance, as well as witty banter, all underpinned by a serious theme.

Much Ado About Nothing is an odd play. For about half the night it rolls along merrily as a romantic comedy, and then makes an abrupt and serious turn during the third act. It then observes the fallout resulting from the deliberate besmirching of a maid”™s good reputation, weathers a tempestuous fourth and fifth act, but manages to achieve a happy ending all the same.

Vaguely similar in structure to a classic Italian commedia dell”™arte mask play, and also set in an Italian court, Shakespeare focuses on two pairs of lovers: the romantic leads, Claudio and Hero (Brandon Hearnsberger and Lindsay Gould), and their comic counterparts, Benedick and Beatrice (JD Cullum and Torri Higginson).

In Messina, an Italian prince Don Pedro (Patrick O”™Connell) and his deputies, Claudio and Benedick, have just returned from a successful military campaign. The governor of Messina, Leonato (Apollo Dukakis), welcomes them for passing by the city and invites them to stay for a month.

Benedick and Leonato”™s niece Beatrice are longtime adversaries and resume their “merry war of words”. Claudio”™s feelings for Hero, Leonato”™s young daughter, are rekindled upon his seeing her, and Claudio soon announces to Benedick his intention to woo her. Love-wary Benedick tries to dissuade his friend, but is unsuccessful in the face of Don Pedro”™s encouragement.

While Benedick teases Claudio, Benedick declares he could never trust a woman and swears he will be an eternal bachelor. To that Don Pedro vows, “I shall see thee, “™ere I die, look pale with love,” and thus sets up the comical premise for the play.

A masquerade ball is planned, giving a disguised Don Pedro the opportunity to woo Hero on Claudio”™s behalf. The brooding, melancholy bastard Don John (Stephen Rockwell) uses this situation to get revenge on his brother Don Pedro and Claudio by telling young Claudio that Don Pedro is actually wooing Hero for himself. Claudio confronts Don Pedro but their misunderstanding is swiftly resolved and Claudio wins Hero”™s hand in marriage.

Don Pedro and his men, bored at the prospect of waiting a week for the matrimonial ceremony to take place, hatch a hilarious plan to unite Beatrice and Benedick. The men, led by Don Pedro, proclaim Beatrice”™s love for Benedick while knowing he is eavesdropping on their conversation. The women, led by Hero, do the same likewise to Beatrice. Struck by the “revelations”, Beatrice and Benedick, neither willing to bear the reputation of pride and scornfulness, each decide to requite the love of the other.

Meanwhile Don John, schemes to ruin Claudio and Hero”™s wedding plans by casting aspersions upon Hero”™s virtue.

Relying on elegant costumes courtesy of Soojin Lee and her assistant Danielle Horn – the ladies swan about in long skirts and high-necked long-sleeved blouses, with fringed shawls about their waists and smart straw boaters – and also delightful sets by Kurt Boetcher, director Michael Murray achieves a vivacious and vibrant feel to this almost three hour play. The animated staging includes some physicality in the form of parries and jousts that mimic the lively banter and wordplay.

The boozy masquerade ball is especially fun, featuring some gorgeous and delightful choreography from Julia Rodriguez-Elliott - the cast even fall upon the floor! – and some authentic-sounding Italian folk music, no doubt sourced by sound designer Benjamin Haber Kamine. The lighting design by Ken Booth gave the production an Italian rural glow, with the addition of paper lanterns that switched colour for the masquerade ball resulting in a simple and enchanting “˜special effect.”™

Photo Credit for All Images: Craig Schwartz

Murray”™s gifted cast imbue their poetic lines with plenty of wit, emotion and meaning. The fourth act, when Hero is violently spurned, echoes with violent accusations and genuine distress. It is a dramatic tonal shift from lighthearted banter to serious drama that the entire cast takes in their stride.

As Benedick, JD Cullum brings as much comedy to his hilarious and innuendo-heavy line readings as possible while Torri Higginson plays his romantic adversary Beatrice with great aplomb.

This play is essentially a dual love story where lies and misperceptions threaten the happiness of one couple, while the other couple banters and battles their way from opposition to affection.

Much Ado About Nothing endures as a fine romantic comedy with a vein of drama to lend it gravity. A Noise Within”™s fine production is not to be missed.

Currently playing in repertory with Awake and Sing! and The Playboy of the Western World, Much Ado About Nothing closes on Friday, May 21, 2010

PLAYING:
Saturday, March 27, 2 pm
Saturday, March 27, 8 pm
Wednesday, April 21, 8 pm
Thursday, April 22, 8 pm
Saturday, May 1, 2 pm
Saturday, May 1, 8 pm
Sunday, May 2, 2 pm
Sunday, May 2, 7 pm
Sunday, May 16, 2 pm
Sunday, May 16, 7 pm
Thursday, May 20, 8 pm
Friday, May 21, 8 pm

WHERE:
A Noise Within
234 South Brand Blvd.,

Glendale, CA 91204

TICKET PRICES:
$44 (Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees);
$40 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Saturday matinees);
$30 (Previews).
Group rates and special rates for school groups available

TICKETS & INFO:
818-240-0910 x1

Review by Pauline Adamek

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Cruel seduction — Don Juan Dispenso

By Pauline Adamek · Comments (11)
Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Don Juan Dispenso is a re-telling of an old legend. The original play, Don Juan, the Trickster of Seville, was written, circa 1625, by Spanish dramatist and poet Tirso de Molina who was the first to introduce this memorable and devilish character to audiences.

photos by James Smith III

photos by James Smith III

Tirso, a Mercedarian monk and one of the most prolific writers of the Spanish Golden Age, fashioned a lively and entertaining morality play, full of music, song, seduction and spectacle. Tirso”™s play went on to have an enormous impact on literature and culture, influencing Mozart (the opera), Lord Byron (the epic poem) and Shaw, among others.

The name of this legendary fictional libertine, Don Juan, is often used figuratively as a synonym for master of seduction. The story of this ruthless and lecherous “˜lothario”™, however, usually ends dramatically.

Usually”¦

Set during the 20″™s and 30″™s of the last century, producer, writer and director Tony Tanner”™s loose and modern version takes place across Spain, Italy and France.

Our anti-hero, Don Juan (Ahmad Enani), is first met when he is a handsome young man of twenty-five. A smooth-talking, charming predator, Don Juan”™s main preoccupation appears to be cheating and tricking women of their clothes and honor without a shred of remorse.

Young and virile, Don Juan chooses his victims from all classes and all age groups. His acts of cruel seduction, physical abuse and rape eventually lead him to a term in a Spanish prison.

After a year”™s incarceration, he is released a broken man having suffered his own dark night of the soul. Whether or not this experience has changed him, perhaps for the better, is only revealed at the play”™s conclusion.

Tanner”™s version is an excellent update of this bleak classic. It”™s a shame the cast is not equal to its high-flown language. Ahmad Enani gives a good performance as the villainous lead. Most of the others in the cast, unfortunately, are not up to his standard”¦ The most egregious offense was made by the woman playing a German conquest of Don Juan – her accent wavered between Russian and Italian and did not sound at all Germanic.

The writer also reveals some ignorance (the term “timbre” is not pronounced “timber” – something that should have been picked up by a director who was not also the writer). Also, it”™s hard to tell if a reference to a Paris hotel, here called The Saint George, was a mistaken reference to the salubrious George V (pronounced “cinq”) or simply a fictitious hotel. And someone should tell those actors that one never handles a man”™s hat by its brim.

photos by James Smith III

photos by James Smith III

Playing Don Juan”™s loyal valet Sam, Kevin Scott Allen also narrates the play and did an okay job. His costume – like most costumes in the play – looked as if it was rummaged from the actor”™s own wardrobe. Consequently, he dressed more like an ostler or jockey than an early 20th Century manservant.

Finally, Tanner opted to excise the supernatural element from the original play, which presents Don Juan being dragged to hell in a fiery and visually spectacular finale. Tanner”™s ending is an interesting take on this legend but lacks the dramatic and morally righteous conclusion that is expected.

While a little lacking in presentation, this production is nonetheless worth seeing.

The Missing Piece Theatre
2811 Magnolia Boulevard,
Burbank CA 91505

Runs — Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm;
Sunday at 3:00 pm
until April 4th, 2010

Tickets are $20.

Reservations are strongly recommended.

For reservations please call Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006.

Review by Pauline Adamek

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