Andy Warhol

Learning about art all year opened my eyes to how many genres and styles can exist within its domain. The Pop art movement caught my attention and the work of Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928. Warhol attended college at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Pictorial Design. He definitely put that to good use. Through various mediums he became quite a famous and influential artist. He did silk screen paintings, film, writing and even sculptures. It was the 1960’s when he was pushed most into the celebrity light. Warhol was painting everyday objects and portraits of famous people which catalyzed the Pop art movement. Some of his most famous pieces are the “Campbell’s Soup Can” and his Marilyn Monroe portrait. He was doing something different and in the process he was changing art and making it not as high brow or definitive. He was one of the most popular artists throughout the Pop movement in America. His iconic images created in his studio, the “factory”, are still popular today.

Whenever anyone is learning about Pop art, Andy Warhol would have to be mentioned. Pop art includes pieces which emulate elements of popular culture, specifically related to commercialism and advertising. This is exactly what Warhol was doing. I would say one of his most famous and widely produced prints are the portraits of Marilyn Monroe. However, even though he is still remembered today, does not mean that everyone appreciates his work. Some people hold the view that his images are nothing more than a simple knife or soup can that cannot symbolize anything. His meanings have been misinterpreted and taken for a lack of talent or intuition. However, these were not just simple soup cans; all of his work had cultural meanings behind them. His paintings dealt with the war and different views specific to the American culture at that time.

Andy Warhol sparked my curiosity. The bright colors and altered versions catch your eye and then the cultural meanings behind them hold your interest. By creating my own piece I realized how a lot of thought needs to go into the work as a whole. I do not believe Warhol applied random colors and shading to the four images due to the fact that they all had to be aesthetically pleasing. Then my partner and I had to come up with a simple image that could portray something about our time. Warhol was criticized for painting a soup can or doing other plain images. But through those pieces, he was able to portray so much. I love how that is possible. I am really happy with our own version of Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe piece. We called our painting, “The New Face of Communication”. We constructed the top half of a body with a cell phone in place of a head. That was our portrait, our Marilyn. What was being portrayed is the loss of human communication and contact. We are losing human elements through technology. The cell phone has become the main and primary source to communicate with less and less demand for direct communication. I really appreciated this experience and the act of being in the artist’s shoes. It adds a whole new dimension to learning about art.

KISS

Earlier this semester, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend a Kiss Concert. Yes these are the men, now in their 60’s, still singing rock and roll in painted faces and extensive costumes. Kiss has been a band since 1973 when they were first formed in New York City. The original four members of the band were Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. With the intense makeup and outfits, they each took on characters including the Star Child, Spaceman, Catman and Demon. It was the release of their first live album, Alive!, in 1975 that really was their breakthrough to stardom. Obviously, they have had some success because Kiss is still a band today. The members that performed at this concert had two original members, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, with the addition of two new members, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer.

Kiss has been recognized as one of the greatest rock bands throughout history. Their style was quite original compared to other rock bands at the time. They did and still do such things as spitting blood, showing off their tongues, breathing fire and other various pyrotechnics. A major aspect of Kiss and what I believe made them famous and different was how they performed and what energy and experience they created for the audience. They changed the face of Rock and Roll and displayed how wild and zealous it could become.

As for me, it isn’t quite my cup of tea. Most of their songs all seemed to sound the same and run together with lots of guitar and screaming lyrics. However I will give credit to them putting on a great show. This performance took place at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. They were lively, had a great stage presence and you can count on them to still spit blood and show you their tongues. There were fireworks, zip lines and yes, platform boots. It was interesting to notice the audience that was there. I would say that the crowd was definitely an older one. Some dressed up in their own renditions of the classic Kiss look, while others enjoyed flashing the “rock on” hand sign. However, there was also a younger group. That was something worth noticing. Even though this band is now over 35 years old, they still have the capability of attracting new and young faces. Speaking of attracting, this extreme band will attract some extreme people. I am not an avid Kiss listener but I did recognize a few hits. They are the artists to some of the classic rock songs and will be hard to ever forget. Their image, personas and overall performances changed the rock world as we know it.

Songs that Never Die

“Hello Dolly”: I was drawn towards “Hello Dolly” because of Louis Armstrong. His unique voice and how it makes me feel has always made me a big fan. Also from class, I knew that “Hello Dolly” won a Grammy Award in 1964. I had no idea, however, that in the beginning it really meant nothing to Louis. He had never heard of the song, written by Jerry Herman, before he recorded it. Jerry thought similarly about “Hello Dolly” and its insignificance because he was surprised when he heard Louis was going to record it. It wasn’t till Armstrong’s audiences were requesting the song a year or so later, that he remembered he ever sung “Hello Dolly”. Obviously with Louis winning a Grammy, its popularity grew significantly after this point. It is wild to consider a song, that the artist couldn’t even remember himself, turned into a Grammy. This highlights the influence that fans and audiences can have.

This song fits right in with the Jazz era of the time. Upon listening to the song again I realized there are no moving or inspiring lyrics or even many words at all. Jazz is all about the music, the variations and beats, and how the artist can portray his emotions. In this case Louis Armstrong has the ability to turn any song into one worth listening to with his style and talent. In “Hello Dolly”, he inserted an “individual stamp” in his solo which identifies him in a piece. This song even pushed the Beatles off the number one in the charts, which made Louis, at the age of 63, the oldest artist to hold that spot.

“La Bamba”: Imagine being an artist and never knowing how the audience may react to your song. I have never thought about how a hit song does just that, becomes a hit. It definitely isn’t something that the artist can predict. I started thinking of this due to the history behind “La Bamba”. Ritchie Valens did not think twice about this song because its purpose was simply to fill the B side of the record. The main focus of the record, the predicted hit, was “Donna”. “La Bamba” was never considered with importance because it was in Spanish and so different from anything else he had done. This song was originally an 18^th century folk Mexican song played during weddings. Which leads to only another reason this song was made with hesitation, Ritchie didn’t want to commercialize a song that was a part of history and his culture. But it was a hit. Ritchie became a teen idol and his popularity grew.

Ritchie had even attempted to translate “La Bamba” into English, but realized it was too great of a task. Think about how things would be different if he had translated it and made it more uniform and acceptable for the time. Thankfully he didn’t. This is how music grows and evolves, through artists venturing into new styles and variations. “La Bamba” was just that, something new and fresh and it hooked the audience. It was a mixing of Latin into rock and it opened the doorway to a new style.

“Purple Haze”: Jimi Hendrix is one of the reasons that my brother started playing guitar. He is a rock legend. This song and any song by Jimi have now changed for me, due to learning more about its history. I had no idea what a shy character Jimi was and how much he really didn’t like his own voice. He even went to the extent of hiding his face while recording to make it easier for him to perform. This song is what launched his career in the United States. “Purple Haze” was significant to many musicians and audiences alike. It had such impact to the extent where some musicians claimed they did not want to pick up their guitar or make music of their own because it could not reach the level that Hendrix was able to reach. However that was not his intent. Music is not an arena to show off and make others jealous, but to inspire. Jimi didn’t want others to try to mimic what he did but wanted to motivate them to venture out and find their sound. Jimi had taken rock to a different level. The electric guitar in this song made sounds that it had never been asked to make before. Jimi even lit his guitar on fire! He was all about experimenting and was not afraid to do something new and crazy.

Jimi started listening to music as a child and one of his idols was Muddy Waters. It is really incredible to consider the chain of effect that all musicians have. Take Hendrix for example, he loved listening to Muddy Waters. However, who did Muddy Waters listen to as a kid? And who afterwards has listened to Hendrix which will then inspire them to create music? “Purple Haze” was not only a great song but a turning point in rock history and I am glad that I can still appreciate Hendrix today.

Louis Armstrong, a “Cultural Legacy”

"Louis Armstrong was the epitome of jazz and always will be"

--Jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington

Louis Armstrong was a key and influential player in the Jazz movement of the 20^th century. I believe that his voice could be picked out from a crowd of a million. Armstrong’s voice was unique and yet its' differences completely encompassed the essence of jazz with its variation and experimentation. He captured my heart when I first heard “What a Wonderful World”. When he sings, it feels like all is good in the world for that moment. This feel good mood that could be created was a grand part of what Jazz was all about.

Armstrong did not have an easy childhood. He was extremely poor growing up in New Orleans. By the age of 11 he was a juvenile delinquent and was sent to a reform school for 18 months. Oddly enough, this is where he first learned how to play a cornet. Once leaving the school, he played a lot in pick up band events and other small town things. It wasn’t until he moved to Chicago and then New York that his popularity grew exponentially. In Chicago he was a part of Oliver Creole’s Jazz Band. This band was a very popular and influential band at that time. In New York he became a part of the Fletcher Henderson Band which was one of the most popular African American bands of the time. He bounced around between Chicago and New York while being a part of many bands.

Louis Armstrong stepped into the spotlight as a trumpet player. This trumpet playing and style set the stage for jazz soloists. Later on in his career he became to be known as a vocalist, band leader and jazz exemplar. Louis sang in a style that was new and helped to create the foundation for his effect on jazz. The way he sang was sometimes called "scat". Referring to turning the voice into an instrument and singing random sounds instead of real words. This along with his trumpet were some of Louis' recognizing features as a performer. The following clip highlights his trumpet playing and also his unique vocals. Louis received a Grammy Award for the following song, "Hello Dolly" in 1964.

Some critics accused Louis of "selling out". Claiming that he would sing to segregated audiences and he tried too much to fit into the desired American taste of the time. Whether or not he did is not for me to say. However, he created something that others have tried emulating for years and still exists today. That is something worth noting in of itself.

In the words of Louis himself, "Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them." These artists weren’t around for money or popularity but because of what the music meant to them. Jazz wasn't as much about the words as it was the feeling that was created from experimenting with this new form of music.

Fallen Monarchs

Art has the capability to create a window into the mind of the creator. What goes on in the mind can be expressed through this beautiful medium of art. Art is not only an expression but rather an ability. History has been recorded through art, memories preserved, eras highlighted and ideas presented. One artist worth mentioning in the American art realm is William Bliss Baker. He created many pieces of art and one in particular piece named the Fallen Monarchs (1886). Through his simple construct of a beautiful forest he has portrayed and captured a movement from his time. This painting is about re-growth, things dying but new things always coming up and a harmony or balance found in life between nature and humans.

William Bliss Barker was born in 1859 in New York City. He unfortunately died at an early age of 27 due to an ice skating injury. The New York Evening Post commented on his death by saying that "the young artist was animated from his earliest years, and this, aided by his great industry and energy, was among the chief elements of his success in the line of art he had chosen," (“Canvas Replicas”). This “line of art” was one of realism and realism in respect to landscapes. Baker grew up in the area of Ballston Spa. He then studied at the National Academy of design for four years, starting at age 17. While there he created and exhibit and even won the Elliot prize in 1879 (“Art Review” 19). He was on his way to a great career.

William Bliss Baker’s work fell in line with the Realism movement and style that existed at the time. Realism is portraying things as they are. It is not about making life look better, prettier or happier but showing the truth of life through the eyes of the artist. Within realism stemmed a style called Naturalism. Naturalism refers to “the depiction of realistic objects in a natural setting” (“Web Art Academy”). A big aspect of the naturalist movement was the “Darwinian perspective of life and its view of the futility of man up against the forces of nature” (“Web Art Academy”). This very idea existed in the Fallen Monarchs.

In 1886, right before his death, Fallen Monarchs was made. This piece was created near the Ballston Lake area around Baker’s summer home. Baker didn’t simply want to paint a charming forest scene near his house but desired to expose the life cycle of decay, death and rebirth. This life and death cycle can be seen through the dead, broken and fallen trees ("Brigham Young University Museum of Art"). Amidst those trees however if you look closer is fresh green moss, new growth and life. It is also obviously fall time and fallen leaves cover the ground of the piece. These fallen leaves also allude to this inevitable cycle of life, how they have all fallen off at this stage of the season. I believe it strengthens the idea of the power and inevitability of nature. The sun in the background is also important to note as well. Its presence and warm feel, adds to the peace and balance of the piece.

Fallen Monarchs caught my eye and led me to inquire more about it and the author. It has a very warm and soft feeling despite the slightly dark and muted portrayal of a forest. I believe it draws you in with the bits of warm colors and tones, which bring about this feeling of peace and harmony. The picture itself is what caught my eye, not the idea of death and life. One can always appreciate a work of art without understanding the many layers of meaning and truth behind it. However, I won’t say that knowing the cultural and historical context wouldn’t possibly change your view of the piece. Alternatively, some people may really connect with and appreciate what a painting represents and not particularly want to hang it up in his or her home.

William Bliss Baker lived a short life but due to the abilities of art, he left a mark in this world and his ideas and views were preserved. Fallen Monarchs was recorded as one of his greatest pieces. It may not be this extremely layered deeply symbolic painting, but it does have its own meanings. It exhibits a view of his time concerning this life perspective of the balance between man and nature and life and death. That is the fun of art, trying to understand the artist and his or her motives, perspectives and ideas through their work.

Coney Island

Coney Island was the largest amusement park between 1880 until WWII. It was an escape. Coney Island was a place to be anyone you wanted to be, to forget about the daily trials and struggles and come together for the sole purpose of fun and entertainment. There were such rides as the Wonder Wheel (a Ferris wheel) which was built in 1918 and the Giant Racer which was built in 1911. The Giant Racer was the largest rollercoaster of its time. Coney was a place where things were created that had never been done before. The Luna for example was an electric fairyland that consisted of over 250,000 electric lights. Something like that was fresh and beautiful to everyone. There were many and various activities for entertainment. Whether it was a ride, show, performance, weird and quirky phenomenons or the beach, Coney was the place to be. It equalized society while they were in attendance. There was no upper or lower class but simply people having a good time. Check out this site to see some original and quite interesting footage of Coney Island. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coney_Island_(ca._1940s).ogv

Nowadays we still have many forms of entertainment. We have modern amusement parks all over the world. In the U.S. alone there are more than 400 amusement parks and attractions. In 2006, all of these attractions accumulted to 11.5 billion dollars of revenue. This in no longer one little island but a growing and popular industry. There is the infamous Disneyland and Disneyworld which have become the "must see" and climax of every young child's life. Obviously the culture has changed with the times and the specific types of rides or shows that make us laugh are considerably different, but they still have similar aspects. We look to go and do things that aren't possible in everyday life. Whether it be plunging from heights in a rollercoaster or spinning rapidly around in circles, we enjoy it. The thrill existed at Coney and still today. We like to participate in things that might push the limit or attain a rush that is not achievable in everyday activities. However, it would be unrealistic to say that nothing has changed since Coney. The amusement parks of today are not as open to the public or have that ambiance of a community coming together. The parks today are quite expensive and it has become a privilege to attend them. Classes can actually be separated. At certain places, special passes are offered at a considerably higher pass that allows you to skip the line and get right on the ride. Not everyone can afford these types of passes. Everything and anything at a park also is not accessible to all. All the merchandise, food and beverages are priced very high. Although the element of fun is still present, some things are just not quite the same. Certain aims of the creators of these places have altered.

These types of amusement parks and entertainment have been around for a while. It can unify us in the desire to have fun and forget about life for the day. It shows that basically it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from or what your favorite color is, humans seek entertainment and thrills. It is interesting to see the developments and similarities between the then and now of this industry.

Bobby

She walked into the classroom and every eye, including mine, watched as she took her seat. She strolled in with swagger, adorned with excessively large neon headphones and her head bobbing to the beat. There was no need to imagine what made her move; we could hear it blaring right from those snowballs. This interesting and quite beautiful girl finally took her seat and immediately pulled off her headphones and pulled out her books, ready to start. I noticed she was an artist as well; she had drawn an intricate pattern all over her hand. Not the usual BYU art but it caught my eye. Class went on as normal and I continued to watch this interesting girl. The bell rang and I jumped out of my seat, hoping to squeeze a word in before the headphones took their place. There was something about her and I needed to say something. I walked over to her and said “Those are some nice tunes you have.” She looked at my questioningly but finally responded and said, “Yeah I love music, couldn’t live without it.” “That’s awesome; my name is Greg, what is yours?” I added. She replied a quick “Bobby” with a smile. She continued the conversation but not with enthusiasm. It seemed like she wasn’t into the small talk or really cared what my major was or which ward I was in. But she wasn’t rude, just different. Well, we parted ways and I was looking forward to the next time that I would have the pleasure of bumping into her again.

It was a week later and there she was again, swaying to the music, walking through campus. I decided, what the heck, I should just ask her out. I wanted to get to know her more. I finally got her attention, while most likely making a fool of myself at the same time. We started talking and I got the gumption to ask her to go get some ice cream on my scooter later that week. She actually laughed at me and said no. She doesn’t go on dates. That was weird. Dating was something that we just did. You found a girl interesting and you asked her on a date. However, she did invite me to go paintballing with her that weekend. I guess that it won’t be a date, which she made so apparent, but hey, I was going to get time with her.

Saturday rolls around and yes, time for paintballing! I have never actually gone paintballing before and I am surprised that a girl would want to, well except maybe not Bobby. So after she annihilated me on the course, we got to talking. We happened to start talking about BYU and the environment there. She was saying how she actually loved it. She grew up in a town where she and her brothers were the only Latter Day Saints at her high school. I was now wondering how different Provo must feel to her. I couldn’t help it, but I asked her why she was opposed to dating. Then she said frankly, “I don’t want to get married…..yet. I am here to get a career. I need to be able to support myself and I want to feel like I accomplished something for myself before I focus on starting a family”. I could see what her point was; I had simply never heard this view before. I had met a few girls that came to school solely to get married. It was something that if you left BYU single, something wasn’t quite right. But not Bobby. She knew what she wanted and was going to stick to it. It made me think however, why wouldn’t she want to get married and feel the happiness that can come from it? Guess she had a different plan. We were just about to leave and then she adds, “You know, plus if I get married soon, then I won’t even have the option to go on a mission, and I want to be able to have that choice.” I had started to think that she maybe wasn’t like all the Mormon girls I had usually been around and there she goes, making my head turn again, a mission?! “That’s awesome!” I replied. I then told her about my mission to Kentucky; it was more of a foreign mission that people could possibly realize. Bobby never ceased to surprise me.

I had noticed something about her. The ways in which she interacted with people and also the way she looked. She wasn’t into the superficial talking, the joking around and flirting. If Bobby was going to talk to you, she wanted to have a real conversation. Bobby dressed, you could say, out of style. There was no trace of the latest “must haves” advertised in magazines and TV, such as the Toms shoes or trendy v necks or colorful jeans. Her style included faded jeans and a t-shirt. It made an impression on me and just seemed to fit her perfectly.

Next class period, Bobby shows up with the neon headphones and looking like she just rolled out of bed. I started talking to her and asked if she overslept this morning. She laughed that adorable laugh and just said, “No, I just didn’t want to get dressed this morning. Why do girls have to always look their best huh? It is hard work I’d like you to know.” I didn’t know what to say. Except that I agreed, I wouldn’t want to be her. However, over time I could start seeing the people around Bobby looking at her differently. Looking at her sweats, lack of makeup or any jewelry and her care free attitude and then think that she didn’t care about anything or anyone. Bobby also would never participate in the “cheesy” games of family home evening or things like that. She just wasn’t into it.

It wasn’t until one Sunday that we were all silenced. It was fast and testimony meeting. The hour was almost up and it had been a very enlightening and good meeting. Just before the bishop is about to stand up, Bobby approaches the stand. She walks up in her simple and cute dress, looking humble as ever. Then she says hello. Her testimony moved me to tears. I, of course, didn’t let anyone see but I couldn’t help it. It was like she was, so simple, straight forward and just out there for everyone to see. She loved her church and wanted to be happy and make others happy as well. Finally Bobby made sense. She never meant to offend anyone by not dressing “properly” or by drawing fake tattoos, not participating in family home evening or anything and everything else that she did. She just didn’t apply herself to the social norms of where she was. She was Bobby and wasn’t going to change that for anything or anybody. I admired her. She had courage, more than I had. The year came to a close and she still hadn’t been on a date but she had a load of friends, including me.

I have stayed in contact with Ms. Bobby over the years and she is doing amazingly well. She is running her own business and is always jamming out whenever she is in the office. She still isn’t married but has started looking. I wish her the best of luck and can only hope that she finds someone that can understand and get her for who she truly is.