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Artscope Magazine | May/June 2019

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Artscope Online

Washington D.C.’s Newest Museum

// Artscope Online, Featured, News, Visual Arts

by Nancy Nesvet

Encompassing the history, arts and culture of Palestinians, the Museum of the Palestinian People located at 1900 18th St. NW, near Dupont Circle is the newest museum to open in Washington, D.C. Work by contemporary Palestinian artists and artifacts illustrating the history and culture of Palestine will be displayed, including paintings by Palestinian artist Ahmed Hmeedat and a video, “Borders & Promises,” by renowned videographer, Haya Zaatry. The museum will host its opening ceremonies on Saturday, June 15, from 3–7 p.m. and Sunday, June 16, from 12–6 p.m., featuring tea and Palestinian sweets, contemporary visual art, historic artifacts and performance. The reception will include folk dancers performing the Dabke (meaning “stamping of the feet”), an Arabic folk dance first created in the villages of the Levant to remember the line formed by villagers joining hands and stomping … [Read more...] about Washington D.C.’s Newest Museum

CAMBRIDGE ARTS RIVER FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS SATURDAY JUNE 1

// Artscope Online, Featured, News

by Leah Hamilton French

The recent Memorial Day weekend, with its golden sun and warm weather, was a welcome respite after the long New England winter and a cold and rainy spring. I spent the weekend kayaking on the Charles, picnicking in my local park, and strolling the suddenly green streets of my neighborhood. Everywhere I went, I encountered other Cantabrigians out and about and enjoying the sunshine. Now that we are out, we don’t want to go back in. Thankfully, there are many free outdoors art events to look forward to as we slide towards summer. Coming up this weekend, don’t miss the 40th annual Cambridge Arts River Festival, now in its new location in the Central Square Cultural District. The festival, which will take place on Saturday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will bring the neighborhood alive with four stages of music plus dance, theater and vendors selling crafts, international foods and … [Read more...] about CAMBRIDGE ARTS RIVER FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS SATURDAY JUNE 1

PRESCIENTLY MODERN RHAPSODY CLOSES BOSTON BALLET SEASON

// Artscope Online, Theatre, Visual Arts

by James Foritano

“Rhapsody”, which opened on May 16 and continues through June 9, is Boston Ballet’s end-of-the-season farewell to its fans and supporters before they return from the summer break. Appropriately, there is a looking-back quality to the selections from classical ballet as well as a jazzily modern ring to the centerpiece: “ELA, Rhapsody in Blue.” Leonid Yakobson, a 20th-century Soviet choreographer, who starts off the program, shares both neo-classical and modern qualities with his audience. His first piece, “Pas de Quatre,” leads off with four dancers who exude grace and stature in a sure-footed threesome that dance the whole short piece without ever unlinking hands which over arch all their movements. The unshakable grace is supremely classical. One could imagine the Russian Czar and his family watching a ballet such as “Pas de Quatre” and leaving re-affirmed in their belief … [Read more...] about PRESCIENTLY MODERN RHAPSODY CLOSES BOSTON BALLET SEASON

COMMENTARY: THE BIENNIAL OF FEAR: THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL 2019

// Artscope Online, Featured, Visual Arts

by Nancy Nesvet

The Whitney Biennial reputedly seeks to represent the tenor of current American art. Toward that end, this Whitney Biennial presents novel concepts at representation and abstraction that contemporize past formal conceptualizations. With news coming at us so fast, it is difficult not to portray past events, relegating current topics to history. This Biennial is relevant and courageous in unveiling truth and reminding us of the importance of remembering the recent past and remaining informed of that past and its impact on the present. “Triple-Chaser,” 2019, Forensic Architecture’s documentary film of Warren Kanders’ firm, Safariland was well-presented and critical to current debate in the arts and museum community. Warren Kanders is the Whitney Museum board’s vice chairman and chairman and CEO of Safariland, the firm producing the tear gas that is the target of demonstrations by the … [Read more...] about COMMENTARY: THE BIENNIAL OF FEAR: THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL 2019

COMMENTARY: WARNINGS, TRUTH AND ART, VENICE BIENNALE 2019

// Artscope Online, Exhibits, Visual Arts

by Nancy Nesvet

Art Matters. Artists matter. The world has become art’s domain. Culture unites us as art informs us of threats to our environment, governmental institutions and existence. Nearly all of the exhibits at the Venice Biennale 2019: “May You Live in Interesting Times” showed nations joining to save our earth, respecting nature, amending damaging practices and coming together to save those of lesser means or threatened lives. Even more than Venice Biennale 2017’s curator Christine Macel’s removal of border markings at entrances to rooms, curator Ralph Rugoff boldly showed work by the same artist at both the Arsenale and Giardini, providing different neighbors, siting exhibitions depending on the fitness of the particular space for the exhibit. This Biennale declared the world an interdependent space. Addressing political lies, coverups of current and long-hidden governmental documents and … [Read more...] about COMMENTARY: WARNINGS, TRUTH AND ART, VENICE BIENNALE 2019

REVIEW: ALVIN AILEY CELEBRATES 60TH SEASON AT THE BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE

// Artscope Online, Featured, Theatre

by James Foritano

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrated its 60th year as a leading American and world company during its annual Celebrity Series of Boston appearance from May 2 though 5 at the Boch Center Wang Theatre. This year, acclaimed choreographer Rennie Harris’ “Lazarus,” composed in 2018, was featured on Friday evening. “Lazarus” is based on the biblical story in the gospel of John of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from a tomb where he had lain dead for four days. Fact or legend, this dramatic spectacle has been celebrated in Western culture by superstar painters such as Caravaggio and Rembrandt as well as countless icon paintings from the Eastern regions of the Roman empire. Harris is a choreographer raised in an inner-city community on the North Side of Philadelphia. His rise to his present status in the dance world is itself a miracle of an artistic talent blossoming in the … [Read more...] about REVIEW: ALVIN AILEY CELEBRATES 60TH SEASON AT THE BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE