Any fantasy you can think of has multiple dimensions to it; this is especially true in Vijay Iyer’s Bridgetower Phantasy, which premiered in Philadelphia performed by violinist Jennifer Koh and pianist Shai Wosner as part of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society’s recital season. The March 21 concert at the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater featuring the new Iyer work was bookended by two Beethoven violin sonatas, including the Kreutzer sonata. Iyer’s piece is titled after the African violinist to whom Beethoven dedicated his Kreutzer sonata, suggesting that Iyer sees this work as a response and a companion piece to Beethoven’s sonata. These historical and musical resonances made for a compelling program that brought together old and new.
Read MoreMatthew Rose shares thoughts about performance art, upon reading Marina Abramović’s memoir, “Walk Through Walls.” He reflects on the history of the art form, looking at Marcel Duchamp’s Rrose Selavy, Yves Klein’s “Leap into the Void,” and in the 1970s, Chris Burden’s “Shoot.” Abramović’s endurance performances focus on provocation and trust and, he says, over time they betoken the artist’s persistence as a performer in the public realm.
Read MoreA. M. Weaver finds the group exhibit at the new Rush Arts Philadelphia (RAP) a treat and suggests we all get up there and see it. Danny Simmons is the primary curator of the exhibit and he began curating the show when he first conceived of opening RAP. The theme show involves artists working in the Southern black folk magic tradition of Hoodoo, and the show’s title references an herb called High John the Conqueror to which is ascribed magical powers.
Read MoreWorks by two painters with different sensibilities and subjects but similar color choices have a great conversation at the University City Arts League. Ilana Napoli gets in on the conversation and tells you about it in her review. The show closes today (March 24) at 5PM. Run over and see it!
Read MoreDonald Hunt revisits an artist he loves, José James, whose performance at the intimate club, the Foundry, surprised with the artist doing an impassioned and political rap turn in addition to his beloved R+B songs from the post-election-inspired album, ‘Love in a Time of Madness.’
Read MoreChip Schwartz ruminates on a group exhibition that parodies a birthday party. The morose and irony-tinged paintings and sculptural objects suggest the artists have long since taken off the rose-tinted glasses of childhood.
Read MoreArtblog’s newest contributor, Ephraim Russell, writes about a highly-researched and thought-provoking exhibition by Tyler Kline, that asks how and whether art can respond to present-day technological advances that are changing our environment and may be changing our very humanity.
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