Lending a Voice

Today was quite interesting... and busy. I started by giving a live, in-studio interview to WAMC, our local NPR station, about the Alex Ross exhibition. The artist himself joined us via phone from Chicago as we talked about his work and the show. I was quite happy with the way it turned out... hopefully my enthusiasm translated well on the radio. You can hear for yourself on the show archive on The Roundtable's website. 

Immediately following the segment, the exhibition curator and I drove up the street to the local comic shop... of course! I dropped off some more promotional materials, and we looked around a bit. Everyone seems very excited about the exhibition, and is planning their costumes to wear...

From there I caught a quick bite at my favorite Indian food buffet, and then drove back to Hudson, where I still haven't changed my mailing address. I was waiting until today, Election Day, to avoid any last-minute snafus. It was painless... we had fill-in ballots that reminded me of grade school, and I had no wait at all. I even ran into some of my family's friends... there was something a little sad about the idea that this would probably be my last time voting in the area. 

Afterwards, I hit downtown Hudson,dropping off more posters about the Ross exhibit--it was a nice surprise to hear about others who were aware of the exhibit... more excitement.

I'm back home now, and Sarah is off at a election results party with some of our friends. I decided to stay put and try to get some more work done on my exhibition video... time is running out. Here and there I'm checking in on results, but the election still seems too close to tell. 

I did, however, wake up this morning to learn the results of a different kind of election held today in Norway... yes, my musical idols, A-ha, were awarded the Royal Order of St. Olav, the Norwegian equivalent of being knighted, by their King Harald. All three members were on-hand during a special ceremony in Oslo, where they received St. Olavs Orden (and a standing ovation), for their quite impressive contributions to Norwegian music. Hear, hear! 

So, not a bad day for this blue-eyed soul brother...

Related Links:

The American Presidency Project

"'Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross' at The Norman Rockwell Museum," The Roundtable, November 6, 2012

"A-ha members awarded royal Order of St Olav," newsinenglish.no, November 6, 2012

"A-ha hedret med St. Olav," sa.no (Norwegian), November 6, 2012

Rolling On The River

This morning my co-worker was asking me about the arts scene in Hudson, New York. I told her that I had just heard about a new museum planned for the city, created by noted performance artist Marina Abramovic. Well, not long after I had this discussion, I happened to receive a link to this article in the Albany Times Union.

According to the article, The Marina Abramovic Institute for the Preservation of Performance Art is scheduled to open in 2014: "it promises to be a laboratory for all types of what Abramovic calls 'time-based performance,' including dance, theater, film, video, opera and music." The artist gave a preview of the space on Sunday, August 12, and the architectural models promise something quite futuristic.

Jump back to the past, and I think this renovated building they are planning to use is the old movie theater that my father used to live near in the city. I have heard stories about how he used to walk down to the building to make sketches of the old movie posters on display outside. Kind of sweet to see the space being rehabilitated for creative use.

There is an interesting scene forming in Hudson. I have already blogged about the music. Abramovic is a world renowned artist, and it will be interesting to see how her creativity could add to the vibe. There is a documentary that just came out (The Artist Is Present) that I should see to learn more about her work and ideas... however I have actually gotten a taste of it already--in 2010 we saw Abramovic's exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, where she sat motionless in a chair in the middle of a gallery, for hours on end, while visitors were invited to sit down in front of her and stare back. It was an intriguing and, not surprisingly, successful show.



I like the note in the article from the Institute's Director Serge Le Borgne, who said his mission is to introduce more people to performance art. "Art is not only for the elite," he is quoted. "Art is for everybody..." Exactly. I admire Abramovic's vision, and hope the Institute can work with the city of Hudson to involve and challenge everyone. Despite the influx of arts, the city risks gentrification (sadly, it may already be there). It would suck if it were to become overrun with some of the pretentious people I have come across in the Berkshires. But if it does, I guess I can still hold out for the Capital Region...

Related Links:

"Hear the boom? That's art," Albany Times Union, Friday, August 17, 2012

Marina Abramovic: Live at MoMA, MoMAvideos, YouTube

Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present/Institute For Long Duration Performance Art, aitchayess, YouTube

"Special Chairs and Lots of Time: Marina Abramovic Plans Her New Center," New York Times, May 6, 2012

Sight Tour v.2

Tonight we headed to the big city... Hudson, New York, that is. We're actually heading out to New York City tomorrow to meet with the rabbi who will be co-officiating at our wedding, so we decided to kick back in my parents' home town for the evening.

I have blogged about this before, but Hudson has changed so much since the days when I used to visit it as a kid. It really feels like an extension of New York City now, with hip shops, restaurants, and random, eclectic things to look at, mixed with the history that this charming little town has always offered. Tonight we grabbed some barbecue, hung out in the park, and walked up Warren Street... mostly doing window-shopping, but it was good fun.

There are plenty of antique shops that line the street, but one building always has us intrigued when we walk by... and for good reason! There, staring at us from the shop window is a bottle from the Heinrichs' bottling company that Sarah's family used to run in New York State! We have looked into trying to purchase the bottle, but apparently the shop is just kept by the owners as a bit of a hang-out... so good look trying to get the roasted peanuts they have advertised in the window. 


I like this town. Always have. My Dad used to live near a bowling alley that my grandfather ran, which I think is now becoming a big art center. Wow... time flies, and the river keeps on turning...


Links:


nymag.com/travel/weekends/hudson


Photos ©2012 Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Lefty Centered

the horse whisperer. photo ©Blueeyed Soul Productions. 

Back in Hudson for a good part of the day, after stealing away in the Capital Region for the last week or so. There is something calming and centering about being back at my family's old farmhouse... I think it might be good to get back there and do some concentrated work soon.

We also raided my storage and picked up a few items to bring back to Sarah's place... ulp! Looks like it's really happening... we're sharing furniture now! Organizing nut that I am, it feels good to find some things to help the feng shui around here. I'm a pretty big believer in that... it helps me, anyway.

This evening we continued our search for wedding rings. I'm not really a jewelry guy, so it's a new process. Funny that a bigger band looks better on my finger, while Sarah's engagement ring looks better when paired with a smaller band. Anyway, we've got some good ideas and similar taste. Maybe the energy of the ring's metals will also have a grounding effect on me... at least it will be a pleasant reminder of someone else who does.

I'm in love. What's that sound?

Continuing on the music vibe, I was pleasantly surprised to read this article today in The Albany Times Union about how Hudson, New York, is becoming such a "musician-friendly town." The article interviews Tommy Stinson, a new Hudson resident and former bassist in the influential rock band The Replacements.

Pretty cool. And he's not alone... apparently Meshell Mdegeocello lives here, as does Melissas Auf Der Maur from the band Hole, members of indie rock band Vetiver*, and my stepfather says he even ran into Sonny Rollins one time. Wow.

Producer Henry Hirsch (Lenny Kravitz)
has opened a new studio in this converted
1869 church in Hudson. Can I get an amen?

It means much to me because Hudson is where my family is from-- both mother and father, and I still have several aunts and uncles in the area. I'm actually living part-time at my grandparent's old farm property at the moment, and it has been nice to revisit the town that I have such fond memories of growing up.

I don't know if my family or I would have guessed that downtown Hudson would turn into the scene it is today. Over the past twenty years or so I have seen it grow into quite a creative hub--art galleries, trendy restaurants, and the thing that started it all, antique dealers. It makes sense-- it is an easy train ride to and from New York City, and sort of centrally located (like the Berkshires) from NYC, Boston, and Montreal. It's kid of ideal... if you can make a go of it. I never found much work here in Hudson besides the odd part-time job helping out at art galleries, but many New Yorkers now claim it as their own-- second homes, or even commuting.

I hope the city doesn't get too spoilt by this-- as the article describes, it does have a sort of "real" quality about it. Believe me, you don't really get that in the Berkshires. Music is the way to cut through that though, and while I am here I look forward to hearing about new creative artists, and seeing how Club Helsinki takes off (recent acts have included Tift Merritt, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, and Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. Wow).

The Piano Man + Songbird. My two
favorite musicians (Holland, MI, c. 1963)

For me it is especially sweet because music brought my parents together. My Dad was a pretty accomplished pianist, and my Mom had a lovely voice-- I used to enjoy hearing them perform together in the churches where they both worked as an organist and choir director (I was in the teen choir). Ok, now my family's town is reminding me again it's time for me to step it up in the music department! I'll see what I can do... In the meantime, local musicians in Hudson, please get in touch-- I'd love to at least look into having you on my TV music show, which has been mostly New England-based up to now. Time to bring it all back home...


Related Link: 

Hudson, N.Y.: Where Bands Feel at Home, New York Times


More about producer Henry Hirsch's studio


*Note: The lead singer of Vetiver, Andy Cabic, is one of the many artists featured in A Concert for Loved Ones in Haiti, which I filmed at The Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, MA, back in February 2010. Here is a short clip with the previously mentioned Tift Merritt. Watch this space for more details on an upcoming broadcast.