Alexander Calder (1898-1976) was the son and grandson of famous sculptors. He developed the idea of a mobile—a kinetic sculpture. His last work (see above) weighs 920 pounds and is 76 feet long. It hangs in the East Building atrium of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It was installed in 1977, one year after he died.
Below is a time lapse video where the mobile moves slowly and beautifully, but with unpredictable deliberation. You can listen to the music that comes with the video, or mute it and play Wynton Marsalis (below on trumpet) performing a lovely jazz version of Rodger and Hart’s “Where or When” while you watch the You Tube video.
The beautiful Rodgers’ melody seems to float along synchronized to the mobile’s graceful motion.
Asbury Park High School. By Paul Goldfinger, September 2012
Re-post from 2012 when high school was a different experience than 2020.
Remember the song “See You in September?” Well, high school is where you go when summer vacation is over. And how dangerous was the 2020 summer moon above?
Next year buy a dog — they love you and they are faithful. — PG
From the soundtrack of “American Graffiti” it’s the Tempos:
The Band, one of the most celebrated rock and roll groups in history, had its roots back in the 1960’s. It was comprised of four Canadians and one musician from Arkansas. They were the backup band for Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and other heavyweights from that era, but they became famous on their own in the 1970’s.
After sixteen years on the road, they had a farewell concert, “The Last Waltz” in San Francisco, which was filmed by a young Martin Scorsese. Unlike the usual boring style of filming rock concerts, Scorsese brought a professional Hollywood style movie-making, and the film, which was released in 1978, is still a classic, and a re-release version came out on DVD in 2002 along with a 4-CD box set. The concert movie is excellent and can be rented on Netflix or purchased.
The five talented musicians in the group shared singing parts and all of them played multiple instruments. For the “Last Waltz” concert, there was a brass ensemble on stage, and a number of big stars appeared including Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, Dr. John and others. At the end of the event, everyone came on stage to join Dylan in “I Shall Be Released.”
The members of the group were Rick Danko (bass), Garth Hudson (keyboards), Levon Helm from the US (drums), Robbie Robertson (lead guitar) and Richard Manuel (harmonica and many other instruments). Helm, Manuel and Danko are no longer alive. Helm remained a big country star, best known for his singing, until he passed away this past April.
The Band video. “The NIght They Drove Old Dixie Down”
Below: This song, from the “Last Waltz” collection, is called “Ophelia” and is sung by Leon Helm. He was probably the best singer in the group.
DON’T MISS THE COMMENTS ON THIS ONE!!! —pg
Here is an MP3 audio from that album — — Paul Goldfinger (re-posted on BF from 2012)
Gloria Lynn (b. 1929-2013) was from New York City. She started out as a pop singer having a big hit in 1964 with ”I Wish You Love” which became her signature song. Later in her career she became known as a jazz singer.
The song was written by the French singer and composer Charles Trenet in 1942, and its first lyrics were in French.
Keely Smith had the first hit in English in 1957, and the song was featured in several movies including the French “Stolen Kisses.”
Ironically, the French version, sung by Mr. Trenet, appeared in the American movie “Something’s Gotta Give,” and we present that version below.
The Battle of Monmouth took place in the vicinity of Monmouth Courthouse in Freehold. The vista above is from Combs Hill where the Continental Army had placed their artillery. The battle took place on June 28, 1778 when Gen. George Washington attacked the British in the midst of a 100 degree heat wave to regain that territory. The park is a beautiful place where you can visit, picnic, ride horses or sleighs. The visitor center is near where I was standing to make this photograph.
I enjoy photographing battlefields, although this is only my second. The first is Gettysburg which we have visited quite a few times. Battlefields are evocative of so many qualities of man including bravery, fighting for right and freedom, loyalty and sacrifice. It seems as if you can time travel back in such a place like this, and that is an emotional experience.
I tried to capture that mood in this photograph which is much better felt in black and white than with color. —Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
BAND OF HM ROYAL MARINES: “Main Theme from Saving Private Ryan” (2006) Written by John Williams.
By Paul Goldfinger, Photography Editor @Blogfinger
My photo was taken of Central Park after the 1969 blizzard. I climbed to the top of Mt. Sinai Hospital and took the picture with my Pentax Spotmatic 35 mm single-lens reflex camera which a friend had brought back from Korea. I only had one lens, a 50mm. I made the print in my darkroom using traditional wet/chemical methods .
Years later, as I learned more about photographic history, I admired the work of André Kertèsz, a Hungarian born photographer who lived in France and then came to America where the third phase of his career elevated him into the ranks of the most famous fine art photographers.
He and his wife moved into a 12th story apartment overlooking Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village in the early 1950’s. He loved to shoot images with a telephoto lens out the window at the park. He especially enjoyed snow scenes.
From Photograph Magazine via Swann Galleries, New York.
When I saw his image (above) from 1954, I was struck by the similarity to mine. But my photo was not derived from his, since I was unaware of him in 1969. At least I don’t believe I ever saw it before.
But art always owes a debt to the work of those who came before, and that is why artists must study the history of their genre in order to build on the past. The influence of one generation of artists onto later ones is sometimes unconscious on the part of those who may be borrowing without even realizing.
Because of our two similar images, and I am not comparing myself directly to Kertèsz, I feel that there is a kindred spirit—a connection— that somehow exists, and that is something that is both weird and exhilarating.
Have any of you artists/writers out there (and there are some in Ocean Grove) ever felt such a relationship?
JENNIFER THAYER (This song was featured in the movie The Thomas Crown Affair and sung by Noel Harrison)
